


Practice to Deceive

by spirithorse



Category: Code Geass
Genre: Alternate Universe - Movie Fusion, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-08
Updated: 2011-05-19
Packaged: 2017-10-17 18:01:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 13
Words: 80,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/179661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spirithorse/pseuds/spirithorse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU. When Nunnally captured a knight, she never expected to be freed by him or shown the world outside of her tower. An adaption of the movie Tangled to the Code Geass universe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In the Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> So, first Code Geass fic. In advance, I apologize if the characters go in and out of character; I'm still trying to get a handle on them. That said, I'm aiming to give Nunnally a bit more backbone in this fic, because she needed it in the situation. Also, as a warning, I'm completely mucking with the idea of Geass. Geass is going to be the proper name of the type of magic that the Britannia family uses but, like in the show, it manifests differently in everyone in the family. Finally, V.V. is still related to Charles, but he'll age normally.

**  
Prologue: In the Beginning   
**

_Once there was a land filled with warring clans, each clan striving for an empty throne. Each wanted the power and wealth that would come from being High King and each wanted the chance to destroy all of their enemies. The war went on for many years without any clan claiming the throne; entire generations born and destroyed by the war._

 _Wanting the violence to stop, one of the dying clans sent out their last magician, the only one left who knew the ancient art. She was charged with the order to grant the power unto the clan that would rule them in peace and end the war. She was meant to go to their allies, but the girl didn't listen and spent years wandering through the country searching for the one that she could grant her gift to._

 _It was forty more years before she found the right clan and even then she concealed her power, riding into battle like any other member of the clan until she was sure. Only then did she approach the queen of the Britons to offer her the power. Their queen, Elizabeth- the third of that name to rule –was a kind and caring woman who wished only for the wars to end so that the killing would stop. The magician promised that her wish would come true. For a small price, Elizabeth would be granted a power that hadn't been seen for many generations, a power that would remain in her bloodline until they died out._

 _Seeing this as a way to end the suffering of her people, the queen agreed without asking what the terms of their contract would be._

 _Aided by the power, Elizabeth conquered the clans, building a new capital in the ancestral lands of the Britons and naming it Pendragon. Under her rule, the rest of the clan's lands were returned to their former glory, their clan leaders becoming noblemen who were loyal only to her. And there was peace, peace until the terms of the contract were revealed._

 _At the end of Elizabeth's life, the magician came again to her to reveal the terms of the contract and Elizabeth was horrified. To be sure that her clan was secure in their place and would never be threatened by magic again, the magician herself would have to be killed, for the magic could only be spread through her._

 _Not wanting to face anymore death, Elizabeth refused. To her surprise, the magician did nothing but issue a warning; that the violence and death would not stop as long as she lived because people would want the power that she possessed. Even Elizabeth's children would be in danger, for the strongest among them would prey on the weak. And Elizabeth's rule would be the end of complete peace._

 _Frightened by this prediction, Elizabeth ordered the magician away and the magician was never seen again._

 _In four years, the reign of Elizabeth the third came to an end, leaving behind two children; one from her first husband who was just entering manhood and another from her second husband who was merely ten._

 _For a short time, the peace remained. Then, Richard von Britannia, Elizabeth's second husband, grew jealous of his stepson's high position and his weak magic. Deciding that his own son would be better for the position, Richard had the young king assassinated and installed his own son on the throne, acting a regent until the boy grew older._

 _Thus was the line of Britannia started, the line of kings that the country soon was named after._

 _From then on there was no peace; the people were forced into near slavery, working for the benefit of the crown either as farmers or soldiers. The kings soon grew tired of their limited boundaries and started to expand, pushing into other countries and taking over their people. While this freed the Britannian people, the conquered countries' populations were reduced to little more than slaves, working to gain even half the rights the lowest peasant of Britannia had._

 _Rebellions started throughout the land, all of them trying to defeat the Britannians only to fail in the face of the royal magic. Some few tried to get a hold of the magic itself, only to fail in the end._

 _And so, Britannia and its providences settled into an uneasy lull._

* * *

"Charles it has to be done."

The Emperor straightened up on his throne, narrowing violet eyes. "It does not. That witch has been gone for months now."

"That means nothing in the end."

"It means everything!"

They both remained silent as the shout continued to echo around the deserted throne room, the young man clasping his hands in front of him, staring down Charles. "Do you want history to repeat itself, Charles? Do you want another Emblem of Blood to occur?"

Charles shivered, the fear in his eyes enough for the man. "Then this is the only way. Chose the strongest and rid yourself of the rest of them so they do not suffer. Do not give them the hope that they can become stronger because of the witch."

"I have told them nothing like that."

"They will assume, Charles, as the others did." The man raised an eyebrow before turning to the table that held the map of Britannia and her providences, tracing the boarder of Britannia with one delicate finger. "And then blood will stain this land again. I thought you wanted peace."

"I do."

"And yet, you still conquered Nippon." He tapped that section of the map.

"It was for progress."

"It was for your own greed." The man spun around to face Charles, scowling. "What do you mean to do with that country? Search for more witches like her? Then what? Will you destroy them as you are meant to? They are a poison on this land, Charles. They will destroy us with their promises of power and their contracts that they demand we fulfill. Or have you forgotten that you have one hanging over your head right now?"

"You step out of line!"

"No, Charles, I call your attention to things you don't want to think about!" The man glanced back towards the doors that led to the rest of the palace, taking a slow step forward. "Your consorts," the man spat the word out, "keep producing children. What will you do with them?"

"What I do with the others. Because I am their father and their means to the throne, they will remain loyal to me. And I will reward that loyalty by installing them in our providences to oversee the conversion to Britannian land."

"Which will just pit them against each other."

"It is what is best."

"It is what will lead to another series of assassinations." The man sighed and shook his head. "Don't you think brother?"

Charles tensed on his throne. "You go too far."

"Oh, I have not gone far enough." The man glanced back at the map before shaking his head. "I will give you two months, brother, to decide what you will do. Then, I will decide for you."

He turned and swept out of the throne room, leaving the emperor to slump in his throne with an expression of disbelief.

* * *

Lelouch opened his eyes, staring at the moonlight filtering through the window before smiling to himself. He carefully pulled the covers back from him, sitting up in bed and slipping his feet into the slippers that waited on the floor. He glanced around, grabbing the cloak that he had just gotten for his birthday last year, wrapping it around himself. Lelouch gave his room one last look over before smiling and clutching his cloak more tightly to him, padding towards the door.

He opened it carefully, gently pushing the door shut behind him and waiting in the stillness of the hall to see if anyone had noticed him. Knowing his father, there would be knights positioned in every shadow, as there had been since his uncle had disappeared.

Lelouch sighed and brushed his fingers over the fine fabric of the cloak, lingering over the strange, bird-like design that stretched across the top of the cloak. He shrugged and moved silently down the hall, sure that there was no one there. He could consider the strange design on his cloak later.

His trip down the hall wasn't long, just across the hall and three doors down to where his mother and little sister slept. Lelouch paused outside the door, looking to see if his half sister Cornelia or Sir Jeremiah were on guard, as they often were. To his surprise, no one was outside his mother's door.

Worried, Lelouch quickly slipped inside the room, quickly picking out the lump under the covers that was his mother. With a relieved sigh he shut the door. At least his mother was safe, which meant that his little sister was too. He looked over at the closet, seeing the pommel of the sword his mother had carried when she was a knight of the realm, nodding to himself before sneaking over to the crib where his sister was sleeping. If something were to happen, he would run to grab the sword and protect his mother and sister.

After all, his mother had made him promise to protect his little sister when he had first held her.

Lelouch smiled as he peered through the bars of the crib, watching his sister roll over in her sleep, opening her purple eyes to stare at him. It took her a moment before she smiled; giggling and reaching out for the finger that he had poked through the bars.

He smiled as his sister grabbed onto his finger, holding onto it tightly and using the hold to pull herself closer to the bars. Lelouch bit back a giggle, glancing around the room before leaning closer to whisper to her. "Sh, Nunnally. I'll get in trouble if mother finds out that I'm out of bed this late."

Nunnally tilted her head to the side. Lelouch returned the smile, taking a step closer to the crib. "If mother lets us, I'll show you my pony tomorrow. Maybe she'll let us go riding. Would you like that, Nunnally? You'd get to see the palace and the gardens. The flowers should still be in bloom, it's not too cold yet. And after riding, we can go and watch the knights train. It'll be fun."

"And what makes you so sure that I'll let you go out, Lelouch?" He gulped and turned to face his mother, trying to pull his finger away from Nunnally. Marianne gave him a stern look before reaching into the crib to pick up Nunnally, his sister releasing his finger as Marianne walked over to sit on the edge of the bed.

Lelouch hesitated by the crib before scrambling up to sit on the bed with his mother, ducking down into his cloak as she continued to glare at him. "What are you doing out of bed at this hour?"

He looked down at the floor, swinging his legs. "I…I couldn't sleep."

"That doesn't give you permission to-"

"I wanted to see Nunnally." Lelouch bit his lip. "I wanted to be sure that she was alright. I promised to protect her."

Marianne's stern expression disappeared, replaced by a smile. Lelouch looked up as she rested a hand on his head, gently ruffling her hair. "That's very noble of you. But you can't protect her if you're tired."

"But I couldn't sleep."

"Alright then, I have a deal for you." Lelouch scooted closer to his mother, Marianne wrapping an arm around him. "You can sleep in here for one night, just to see that Nunnally is perfectly safe. But you have to promise me that you won't go sneaking around at night again."

Lelouch nodded, about to agree to the promise when he frowned, staring at the door to his mother's rooms. "But what if Sir. Jeremiah and Cornelia aren't here again?"

Marianne stared at him, mouthing the word 'again' before standing up, holding Nunnally close as she walked towards the doors. Lelouch went to slide off the bed, stopped by a sharp motion with his mother's free arm. He swallowed and crawled to the center of the bed, watching as his mother slowly opened the doors.

She peered both ways down the hall, even walking out into the middle of the hall to look around before hurrying back in.

Lelouch was surprised when his mother passed him Nunnally, quickly moving his arms to hold her in the way that Marianne had taught him. It was harder now that she was no longer an infant; her first birthday had passed just a few days ago. He looked up as he saw his mother rush over to her closet, pulling on a cloak and buckling her sword around her waist. She then motioned for Lelouch to walk over, bending over to rest a hand on his shoulder. "Lelouch I need you to be brave."

"Why?"

"Because something is wrong." She gave his shoulder a squeeze when he whimpered. "Take Nunnally to that safe place we talked about and stay there."

"How long?"

"Until you are safe. Now go." She gave him a little shove into the hallway, Lelouch clutching his sister close for a moment before wrapping her in his cloak as well. He glanced back at his mother before walking quickly down the hall, trying to pretend like he belonged there.

He glanced back over his shoulder, sighing in relief when he saw that his mother was right behind him. For a moment, he had been afraid that she was going to make him do this on his own.

Lelouch looked back up as he heard the sound of someone walking towards them. He slipped into the shadows near the wall, watching as the knight walked past him. He was about to speak to the knight when he realized that he didn't recognize the person. Lelouch shivered, inching along the wall, trying to watch where he was going and keep an eye on the knight at the same time.

The knight reached where his mother was standing in the hall, the two of them having a quick discussion. Lelouch stopped and tensed up when he saw his mother begin to gesture more with her hands, a sure sign that she was angry at the knight. To his surprise, the knight shouted right back, drawing his sword before Marianne could do anything. "All hail Britannia!"

The knight stabbed Marianne through the stomach three times, Lelouch not aware that he had screamed until the knight turned around.

Lelouch stumbled back into the wall, whimpering as the knight pulled the sword out of his mother's stomach and began walking slowly towards him, blood dripping off the blade. Lelouch turned and ran as fast as he could, making sure to keep a good hold on Nunnally.

He slipped through the corridors of the palace, trying to take every short cut and secret passage that he knew. If he could stay ahead of the knight then they would be safe. He would just have to be brave like his mother had asked him to be. And he had to protect his little sister.

Lelouch glanced down at her, glad that she had remained quiet. He looked up at the sound of footsteps in the hall that he was running down. A smile crossed his face when he recognized his uncle standing at the end of the hall. "Uncle!"

His uncle turned to look at him, surprise crossing his face before he knelt to the ground, Lelouch running right into his arms. He didn't even know that he was crying until he tried to explain what happened.

"A…a knight…chasing me…"

He heard his uncle shift to look behind him. "There's no one there, Lelouch."

"B-but he killed her." Lelouch reached up with one hand to wipe the tears from his face. "He killed Mother!"

His uncle stared at him in shock before shaking his head and pulling Lelouch into a careful hug. Lelouch reached up to grip one of his uncle's arms. "I…I saved my sister…but…where should I go uncle?"

"Give her to me."

Lelouch started at that, pulling away from his uncle and holding Nunnally close. "What?"

"I said give her to me, Lelouch."

He shook his head. "Mother said to-"

"Your mother is dead!" Lelouch yelped as his uncle reached down and grabbed his hair, using the handhold to pull him close. "That bitch just complicated the problem. We needed a single ruler not a bunch of children to fight over the crown. You mother and father were fools to fall in love."

"Stop it! Let me go!"

"I will, as soon as you give me your sister."

"No!" Lelouch tried to jerk away, but his uncle kept him in place.

The man snorted and shook his head, reaching out to pull Nunnally from him, Lelouch no match for the grown man. "There, was that so hard?"

"Give her back!" He reached out for his sister. "I'm supposed to protect her."

His uncle snorted before letting go of his hair and giving him a hard kick in the ribs. Lelouch went sprawling into the wall. He gasped as he felt a sharp pain in his side, shaking his head and stumbling back to his feet. From far away, he could hear Nunnally crying, the sound encouraging him to try and move faster. He had promised his mother that he would protect her. Lelouch swayed in place, reaching out to press his hand against the wall before pushing off of it. "Give her back!"

He crossed the hall at a run, managing to get half the distance to his uncle before a knight came barreling out of one of the corridors, taking a look at him before shoving him into the wall.

Lelouch gasped, sliding down the wall. He wrapped one arm around himself, panting for breath as his vision blurred. He could barely make out the figures of the knight and his uncle walking down the hall away from him. He ducked his head, sucking in a few breaths through his teeth before using the wall to pull himself to his feet. Lelouch pressed a hand to keep himself balanced. With that hold, he began to walk down the hall.

He was too slow to keep up with his uncle and the knight, Lelouch managing to get himself to the corridors on the ground floor. He heaved a sigh, whimpering when his ribs complained with the move. He lifted his hand from the wall to wipe the tears away, nearly falling over as he lost his support.

What he needed now was a plan, he couldn't just keep chasing his uncle through the palace. He needed to think ahead to when his uncle would try to escape, which meant horses. Lelouch looked up from the ground with a smile, placing his hand back on the wall and continuing to limp down the corridor. He could take one of the passages out to the stables and find his pony, sure that he would be able to beat them out.

Lelouch nearly fell as his hand hit an empty space in the wall, smiling as he turned to slip into the passage. He realized the flaw in his plan quickly. He hadn't brought a candle with him and it was impossible to see where he was going. His mother had showed him the way to the stables earlier this year, as an escape route. But that had been with a light and with the comforting presence of his mother.

He reached for his cloak, wrapping it more tightly around him as a gust of cold air reached him. At least that let him know that he was close. Lelouch forced himself to step away from the wall, breaking into a stumbling run as he raced for the outside of the castle, tripping over the step down from the passage and sprawling onto the ground.

He groaned and pushed himself upright, gasping when he saw two horses galloping out of the palace's courtyard, guards beginning to rush into the palace. "Nunnally!"

Lelouch tried to get up onto his hands and knees, only to have his arms give out. He gave a short sob as there was a sharp pain from his ribs. He pressed his forehead against the ground, waiting a moment to catch his breath again. He couldn't be weak, couldn't give up here. He had to protect Nunnally.

He took a deep breath before attempting to get to his feet again, falling to his stomach again. Lelouch groaned, shaking his head before propping himself up on his hands and knees. As much as it hurt his pride, he would have to crawl. How he would be able to get on his pony would be a problem that he would figure out later. Hopefully there would a wall or a bucket that he could use.

The sound of footsteps made him look up, Lelouch taking a moment to focus on the distance to the stable and feeling his heart sink. It looked so far away. He shook his head, turning to look at the person who had come up behind him.

His eyes widened as he stared at the strange woman that was standing behind him, flipping over to his back to get a better look at her. She tipped her head to the side, her green bangs falling over her golden eyes. "You're Marianne's son."

"Who are you?" Lelouch tried to keep the tremble out his voice, wincing and pressing a hand to his ribs as the effort of speaking. "I demand to know who you are."

"Demand all you want, little prince, you still won't get your answer." She turned to look back at the palace and narrowed her eyes before sighing. "It's not safe out here. You should go back."

"I can't! They took Nunnally." Lelouch shifted, hating that he was kneeling in front of the girl, but it was as upright as he could get. "I have to get her back."

"Have to?"

"I promised my mother!"

His outburst caused a flash of interest in the girl's eyes, Lelouch made a bit uneasy by the sudden show of emotion. "Do you usually keep your promises?"

Lelouch blinked before nodding, leaning back as the girl smiled at him. "Then I have a deal for you, little prince. If I help you find your sister, will you help me?"

He stared at her for a moment, tipping his head to the side. "How can you help me?"

She smirked, bending over to rest her fingers against the left side of his face. "I give you something to ease your way in finding her. But it will take a while."

"As long as I can get her back safe."

"Fine." Lelouch yelped in surprise as the girl easily picked him up, struggling in her hold once he realized what had happened. "Stop or I'll drop you."

Lelouch shot a glare at her before going still, allowing her to carry him over to a horse that was standing quietly in the shadows of the barn. She helped him into the saddle before mounting the horse, holding him in front of her. Lelouch wanted to remind her that he was perfect capable of staying on a horse and that he hadn't ridden like this since he was little, but a stab of pain from his ribs encouraged himself to remain silent on the matter.

He turned his head to the side, surprised when they took the route to one of the side entrances to the palace. "Where are we going?"

"Somewhere safe."

"But…Nunnally…"

"Going after her now would be useless. You're in no condition to face them, overlooking the fact that you are merely a boy."

Lelouch bristled at that. "I'm a prince."

"A boy." She repeated the phrase again. "Now be silent. I can tell already you're going to annoy me."

Lelouch's mouth dropped open in shock, already coming up with a retort. After a moment of consideration, he snapped his mouth shut, settling for staring at the horse's ears. He could tell that she would annoy him.


	2. Zero

** Chapter One: Zero **

Clovis la Britannia stripped the ceremonial mantle from his shoulders, throwing it carelessly over the bed and rubbing his eyes. A glance out the window showed that the sun was just beginning to set, Clovis groaning as he realized the sheer amount of work that he still had to do. Of course, he could just push it off onto some of the subordinates; there was a party tonight that he wanted to attend. All of the court ladies would be there, a breath of fresh air from the complaining territorial governors that he had to deal with here. "Damn Elevens."

"Elevens?" He froze at the voice that echoed in his room, Clovis turning slowly in place. He heard the slight rustle of cloth as someone moved through his chambers. He glanced towards the door before reaching for the scabbard by his side. While the sword was only ceremonial, it would serve until he could attract the attention of his guards. Clovis carefully drew the sword from the scabbard, turning his head to try and pinpoint the exact location of the person. "So they've become merely a number to you."

"Emperor's orders." Clovis narrowed his eyes. "The Areas are numbered so why not the people? It reminds them of their place."

The person froze, Clovis catching movement from the curtains by one of the windows. He smiled and snuck towards the window, pausing when the person's voice echoed around the room again. "And what is their place?"

"As subservient members of the empire."

"Subservient?"

"As soon as they stop their pointless rebellion they will be offered the chance to join with the rest of the empire."

"And will they want to?" The intruder laughed. "There have been others that have broken away from the empire."

Clovis shook his head. "They will be brought back into the fold."

"Will they?" He tensed at the laugh from the person. "They know they can free themselves, why would they go back?"

"It's only a matter of time."

"As it is only a matter of time until the Emperor finally dies from that disease. And then the empire will be too busy on who will take up the throne to worry about their little Areas, or the people that are out there."

Clovis tensed at that, his hand clutching the sword tightly. He knew he had been sent out here because of his flippant behavior at court. Charles didn't look at him as a successor to the throne, and he knew that. But he had never thought that he might be abandoned out here. He shook his head. "You know nothing about how the government works. You're just a terrorist!"

"Am I?" Clovis spun around to stare at the center of the room, staring at the man that was standing there. The man tipped his head to the side. "Is that all?"

"You're obvious just copying the methods used by the other providences." Clovis drew himself up with a smile, knowing that he had the man know. "You even took their leader's name for your own. Would they not listen to you otherwise?"

The man was silent for a long while, Clovis looking over at the door and clearing his throat. All he had to do was shout for the guards, and then they would get their hands on the leader of the rebellion in the providence. He took a slow step towards the door, freezing at the sound of a chuckle from the man in the middle of the room.

"Are you sure about that?" Clovis stared at him, the sword dropping out of his numb hand as the man flung an arm around, the black cloak that he wore swirling around him with the move. "Would you risk your life on that assumption?"

"W-what?"

"Clovis," the man looked up from the floor, "I have come here to give you a choice. You can free this providence by royal decree and no more people will have to die. Or you die now and the providence will be freed by the hands of the people."

"T-the people? The people have no government! They have no army!"

"We are their army. And they are their government."

Clovis stared at him, gasping suddenly. "You already have one set up." He was sure that the man was smirking now. "You have everything ready to take over."

"Now the choice is yours, more violence or a peaceful takeover." The man gave a shrug, reaching up to push the hood off of his head, leaving the mask over his eyes and the cloth that was pulled up over the bottom half of his face. "Think over the choice carefully, Clovis la Britannia."

Clovis shivered, stumbling back to flop into a nearby chair. He raised a trembling hand to rest against his face, taking deep breaths as he tried to think over what was happening. But he couldn't get his mind to move away from the impossibility standing in the room with him. For the six years that the providences had been plagued by this masked man, they had always assumed that it was someone else. But, if it was the same person then his support base was huge already. The empire would have no chance if this man decided to turn his gaze to Britannia herself.

He had to warn the emperor. Even if Charles didn't last the week, his successor needed to know about this force moving through the providences. This man would be the ninety-ninth emperor's worse nightmare.

He rubbed his hand over his face, shaking his head. "I…I don't even know…"

"It's a simple enough choice."

Clovis took a deep breath, looking at the man before glancing over at the doors. "I am a prince of the empire. And, as a prince, I cannot allow you to continue."

The man tipped his head to the side at that and laughed, reaching up to hook a finger on the fabric that covered the bottom half of his face, pulling the cloth down before reaching up to take off his mask, shaking his hair out of his eyes. "As a prince of this empire, I cannot allow you to continue to ruin it."

Clovis felt his mouth drop open in shock, standing up on shaky legs to point at the man. "You can't be…they said you died on the night they stole Nunnally."

"Nunnally? What do you know about her?"

"Lelouch…"

"Where is she?"

Clovis was surprised by the sudden panic in Lelouch's voice. He swallowed and shook his head. "I don't know. No one knows. But we haven't stopped looking."

"That's a lie!"

"I haven't stopped looking. Why else would I come out here without an uproar?"

Lelouch stared at him before shaking his head, Clovis seeing the effort the words took him. "Right now, this isn't about Nunnally, it's about the providence. Answer my question."

"Lelouch, we could work together to find her."

"Your answer!"

Clovis took a step back, watching Lelouch tremble in the center of the room, obviously still struggling with himself. But he had to commend his little brother on the self control that he was showing. He sighed and stood up with a shrug. "I cannot abandon my country as you have."

Lelouch scowled for a moment before the expression disappeared, shrugging. He pulled a knife out of his belt, tossing it carelessly into the air a couple of times before tightening his grip on the hilt. "Then you force my hand."

"You could let this go. We could find Nunnally together." Lelouch took a step forward, Clovis stumbling backwards with wide eyes. "What does this have to do with Nunnally?"

"It has everything to do with her!" Lelouch lunged forward, stabbing the knife into Clovis' side and twisting. Clovis gasped, clinging to Lelouch as his half brother forced the knife deeper into his side. "I see and hear all from where I am. And I am creating a world where she will never be stolen away from me again."

He pulled the knife out, using Clovis' shirt to wipe the blood off the blade, smirking at Clovis. "And you got in my way."

Lelouch stepped away, letting Clovis sag to the floor. He winced as Clovis reached out to catch himself on something, sending the objects on the surface on his desk clattering to the floor. He saw Lelouch tense at the sound, turning his head to look at the door as he heard his guards shouting from the hallway. He turned to look back at Lelouch, surprised to see that his half brother had already reassembled his costume and was leaving the room.

The sound of footsteps drew his attention back to the door, Clovis groaning as he pushed himself upright, pointing weakly towards where Lelouch has disappeared. One guard dropped to his knees beside Clovis, trying to support him even as the prince slid back down the wall with a pained groan. "My lord?"

He wanted to rat out Lelouch, wanted to send a message to his father to help ease the old man's pain. But the only word he could get past his lips was the alias that his brother had created. "Z-Zero."

* * *

Lelouch scrambled for a handhold on the tiles on the roof, managing to grab one at the last minute, shutting his eyes as he felt a foot swing out into space. He took a deep breath before pulling his leg back onto the roof, getting a stable hold before looking around.

He could see a few guards on the battlements, far less then there should have been. All of the guards on duty were loyal followers of his, all part of the revolution to free the providence from Britannia's hold. Lelouch shifted his grip, leaning out a bit from the roof to check down in the courtyard. Thankfully the news that Clovis had been attacked was still confined to the prince's room, meaning that he didn't have to deal with archers shooting up at him. Lelouch took a deep breath and began to carefully edge towards the other end of the castle.

He has to move quickly if he didn't want to get caught up here when the archers came out. For the sake of moving silently, he had left his few pieces of armor and his chain mail back at the Black Knight's camp. Lelouch gritted his teeth, pushing the thoughts of being shot while clinging to the roof out of his head, concentrating on the short jump to the battlements that he would have to make.

It had been a close thing coming in to meet with Clovis; he had nearly fallen off the roof in a spectacular fashion. That alone had been enough to make him regret not bringing Suzaku or Kallen with him, although it would have been impossible to make them wait on the roof for him without one of them worrying about him and attacking Clovis before he was ready. They both said that he was taking too many risks. Lelouch rolled his eyes and stood up, balancing on the slight slope of the roof and focusing on the battlements.

"There he is!"

"Shit!" Lelouch ducked back down, staring at the courtyard as the archers stumbled out. Thankfully the servants who had the lanterns had yet to arrive and the archers wouldn't waste arrows shooting up at something that they couldn't see. He swallowed and stood up slowly, making sure of his balance.

"Zero!" He turned to look behind him, his eyes widening behind his mask as he saw the guards from Clovis' room clambering out onto the roof. Lelouch glanced down at the courtyard, seeing a few lanterns being conveyed out. He took a deep breath and broke into a run, racing over the roof as fast as he could push himself before leaping out into the open space between the castle roof and battlements.

He heard shouts from below, focusing on the battlements that he was aiming for. Thankfully they were close to the edge of the roof, close enough even for one like him to reach. Still, that didn't guarantee a graceful landing. Lelouch waited until he was about to land before he gathered his cloak around himself, using it to disguise his less than perfect landing on the other side, melting into the shadows as he lost his balance and rolled to the base of the wall.

Lelouch stayed down for a moment, running a quick check of all his limbs before flinging the cloak aside, remembering to pull the hood back up over his head before slinking through the shadows along the wall. The guards he passed merely nodded at him, turning their gaze inward and shouting confusing commands to those below.

He paused in the shadow of a tower, glancing back to the roof of the castle, watching as one of the guards attempted the jump over to the battlements only to fall to his death. Lelouch smirked, feeling a little better about his feat before he peeked over the edge of the battlements, reaching out to grab the rope that hung there.

Almost immediately there was a guard there, smiling at him. Lelouch gave the guard a nod. "In a few days, your country will be yours again."

The guard's eyes widened, Lelouch swinging over the wall and beginning to lower himself down the rope to where his horse was tied, pausing when he heard the guard shout down to him, "Thank you, Zero."

His hands tightened on the rope for a moment before he forced himself to keep going. No one had ever thanked him before, at least not to his face. He was sure that the people of the three providences that he had already freed sang his blessings, but they had never told him directly. Then again, he had never stayed long; just long enough to dismantle the government that Britannia set up, see that the next government was set up and working and go through all the records that Britannia had left behind to see if he could find a trace of Nunnally's whereabouts. On that, he met only failure.

Lelouch dropped to the ground, the guard cutting the rope loose and letting it fall down to him. The guard waved before rushing off in the opposite direction, shouting something about Zero being on the other side of the wall, the rest of his comrades following him. Lelouch rolled his eyes at the antics, turning and trudging through the undergrowth to where he had tied Arthur. It was amazing how easy it was to confuse guards long enough for him to escape.

He coiled the rope back up as he walked, careful not to get it tangled in the brambles, all the while looking around for his horse, coming to a stop when he heard a snort. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he finished coiling the rope before walking in the direction of the sound, easily picking out the black charger that stood waiting for him.

The horse perked up as he walked over, Lelouch securing the rope to the saddle before untying Arthur, flipping the reins over the horse's head and mounting. He held the reins tightly for a moment, keeping Arthur from jigging in place before turning the horse back to where the Black Knights were encamped. He would keep to the forest as long as he could, but there was a corridor of open ground that he would have to cross before reaching the safety of the forest again.

He nudged Arthur into a trot, settling back into the saddle through the bumpy gait, keeping alert for the sounds of pursuit. Lelouch urged Arthur over towards the outer edge of the forest, wanting to see what was going on in the castle, relieved to see that everyone was in a state of panic. They were probably still chasing after shadows thinking it was him or worrying about Clovis, who had probably died by now.

Lelouch winced at the thought before reining Arthur in, wrapping one arm around his stomach to try and settle it. He had killed other people before; he was used to it by now. But it had reminded him too much of Euphy. Lelouch felt his stomach lurch, giving him just enough warning to scramble off the horse, pulling the fabric away from his face before the threw up.

He sank back when he was done, shuddering before carefully getting back up, leaning on Arthur. They had the same look in their eyes, that same glassy look. And the guards probably had the same look on their faces, one of surprise and betrayal.

Lelouch clenched his hands into fists, taking a deep breath before climbing back onto his horse, kicking Arthur into a trot again. He could worry about his past actions later, when he was far away from this place. Right now, he had to worry about getting through that clear spot within sight of the gates.

He slowed Arthur only long enough to be sure that they wouldn't get shot down immediately before digging his heels into Arthur's sides, the charger snorting and bolting. Lelouch leaned forward, grabbing a handful of mane to steady his position, his heart pounding.

"There he is!" Lelouch glanced back over his shoulder, surprised to see that some of the guards already had led their horses out. Then again, they might have been searching the area when they had figured out that Zero wasn't in the courtyard anymore.

He turned his attention back to the road ahead of him, urging Arthur fast despite the charger's annoyance. The guards were on faster horses, good for chases but not good for hauling men around in full armor. Lelouch only had Arthur, the one horse that he had to use for everything despite the support that the Black Knights were getting. They were still too poor to afford remounts.

They raced down the road, Lelouch glancing between the open space and the forest beside him, abruptly hauling on the reins when he saw the path. Arthur huffed, skidding to a stop before spinning on his haunches, pushing off again at a gallop. Lelouch clung to the horse, pressing himself close to the animal's back when he heard the twang of a bowstring. So the guards had brought an archer with them

He glanced under his arm to check his pursuers, letting Arthur have his head as they followed the twisting path. Lelouch grunted as Arthur launched himself over a fallen log that Lelouch hadn't even seen, ducking closer to the horse's neck as the forest closed it around him. Branches scrapped against his back and slapped at the charger's flanks, urging Arthur faster.

If the guards stayed on his tail much longer, he would have to take the long way to their camp, which would get him caught for sure. His only saving grace was that he had gotten to the forest first. Arthur couldn't outrun the lighter horses for long. And there was no way he could use his Geass without getting into the range of that archer, and he would be shot without a second thought.

Lelouch straightened up slightly, steering Arthur away from their planned route. It came down to using the terrain to his advantage. And, from the many campaigns that he had led, he knew the best places to lose pursuers.

They galloped out into the open, Lelouch aiming Arthur for the forest on the other side of the open space. Hidden by the tall grass was a sudden drop, the drop not too far, but enough to spook a horse and throw a rider. Arthur knew it was there and Arthur would take the jump without any fuss, but the other horses might not. Either way, it was enough time to get himself back in the forest and out of their line of sight.

He straightened up in the saddle, giving Arthur another tap on the side with his heels, smiling to himself as the charger jumped down the drop without a problem. He recovered his position urging Arthur faster, only slowing the horse when they had reached the safety of the forest again. Then Lelouch allowed himself the time to pause and look back.

The guards had been stopped by the drop, a few of them having to call up to their companions from the base of the drop to help them back up. Lelouch nodded, about to turn and head back to the camp when he heard a shout, his eyes widening as the archer urged his horse across the clearing. Lelouch only had time to realize that the man had taken the shorter drop towards the edge of the open space before he had to duck to avoid an arrow, wincing as it scraped across his face.

Lelouch hissed and pressed a hand to the wound, looking up abruptly as the archer charged him, another arrow already on the bowstring. At such a close distance the arrow would cause a major injury, if not fatal, and he couldn't outrun it. But, the archer was riding up to the right distance for Lelouch to use his Geass. He smiled and turned Arthur, charging at the archer.

As he had gambled, the move made the guard pause, Lelouch using the hesitation to reach out to grab the man to hold him in place. Panicked, the archer used the arrow to stab into Lelouch's side, Lelouch twisting in the saddle enough to prevent a deep wound. He cursed as he felt blood run down his side, grabbing the arrow and throwing it away, pulling the archer close. "Lelouch vi Britannia commands you to kill all of your fellow guards and then kill yourself."

The archer leaned away, Lelouch releasing his grip on the man as the archer saluted. "Yes, my lord!"

Lelouch turned Arthur back into the forest, urging the tiring charger to a canter, ignoring the screams of pain from behind him. That took care of his pursuit, which left him free to get back to camp. And it would easily be before any of his guard woke up to find him missing. It was better for them not to know that he had been out tonight, he would just announce it when it suited him, and when none of them could lecture him on his rash actions.

He smiled to himself, wincing as Arthur stumbled, one hand reaching down to press against his side. Lelouch pulled Arthur to a slower pace, using the respite to carefully probe at the wound with his fingers. It wasn't too deep, it would probably need to be stitched up to be on the safe side, but he would live. Lelouch sighed, dropping his chin to rest on his chest and taking a deep breath.

There went his plan of getting away with this night time excursion. The cut on his face could always been explained away easily. But if he went to the camp doctor or even attempted to sew the wound up himself he would be discovered. And there was no way that Suzaku wouldn't notice. Lelouch reached up to rub his forehead, remembering at the last minute that it was covered with his blood. He grumbled and dropped it to his side, letting it hang there as Arthur trotted back to the camp.

He slowed Arthur to a walk as they entered the camp, slipping from the horse a moment later and sneaking around the camp to where his tent was. Lelouch raised an eyebrow at how easy it was to sneak back into their own camp, making a mental note to himself to discuss it when everyone was up the next morning.

He led Arthur to where Lancelot stood, the grey charger giving him a baleful look before snorting and settling again. Lelouch glared at the horse before untacking his own, wincing as the motions pulled on his wound, Lelouch eventually slumping against the nearest tree with a ragged sigh, his bloodied hand pressed to the wound again. Arthur just might have to live with having his saddle on through the night or until Lelouch could get someone to untack the horse.

Lelouch pushed himself away from the tree with a muffled grunt of pain, freezing when he heard someone walking towards him. He narrowed his eyes, trying to pick out features in the darkness of the forest.

"Lelouch."

His eyes widened, Lelouch straightening up and letting his hand drop from his side. "Suzaku."

"Where have you been?"

"Is it any of your business to know?" Lelouch found himself pressed back against the tree as Suzaku strode over to him.

"I am your knight, Lelouch. It's my job to know where you are. Now answer the question."

"I was doing something necessary to our cause." Lelouch went to push Suzaku out of his way. He didn't want to deal with Suzaku being overprotective at the moment; he just wanted to get his wound stitched up and fall asleep.

Instead Suzaku just pushed him back against the tree, glaring at him. Lelouch returned the glare, flinching away when Suzaku rested a hand on his hip, close to his wound. Lelouch tried to slip away again, stopping with a pained gasp as Suzaku grabbed onto his side.

He felt Suzaku tense, leaning back as Suzaku raised his hand to look at the blood on his fingers before taking a shaky step back. "L-Lelouch?"

For a moment, he was tempted to lash out as Suzaku in the knight's moment of weakness, but he restrained himself after Suzaku gave him a panicked look. He sighed and walked over to Suzaku, leaning against him. "Let's go to the tent."

"But…"

"I'll live." Lelouch hesitated a moment before wrapping his arm around Suzaku, pulling him close into a hug. He felt Suzaku shudder before he slumped, Lelouch taking that surrender to rest his head on Suzaku's shoulder. "It's worse than it looks."

Suzaku wrapped his arms around Lelouch, pulling him close. Lelouch flinched at the pressure on his side but ignored it. "Too close…too much like-"

"I know." Lelouch sighed, tipping his head to rest it against Suzaku's.

He held Suzaku close until the knight pushed away, Suzaku clearing his throat and looking back down at Lelouch's side. "I'll get someone."

"I'll last."

Suzaku shot him a glare, Lelouch tipping his head to the side to concede the argument. He wasn't going to try for this one point, not when it would keep Suzaku from having a mental breakdown; something they both were dangerously close to.

He pushed away from the tree, stumbling over to the tent and smothering a yawn. He paused when Suzaku stopped beside him. "Was it worth it?"

Lelouch smirked. "By tomorrow Nippon will be free." He saw Suzaku's eyes widen for a moment. "Kaguya and Euphy will get the world that they wanted."

Suzaku glanced over at him, shaking his head and walking off. Lelouch hesitated outside of the tent for a moment, wondering exactly what that had meant before shrugging it off. He had to get some sleep before he collapsed from exhaustion.

Tomorrow the Black Knights would attack and free the providence from Britannia's hold. Then they would remain only long enough for the fledgling government to get on its feet before moving on. More than half of the Black Knights would remain behind in their freed country; except for Suzaku and the few who styled themselves as a body guard for him would stay with him. And then it would be on to the next providence and then to the next one; until he had freed all eighteen, found Nunnally or died fighting, whichever one came first.

Lelouch ducked into the tent, jumping as he saw a shadow in the back, glancing to the side and lunging for his sword, only to be stopped by a familiar laugh. "Is that anyway to say hello?"

"C.C?" Lelouch relaxed a fraction, still frowning. "What are you doing here? I thought you said you didn't want to involve yourself in what I was doing."

"I don't. I have no taste for bloodshed." She resettled herself on his bedroll, playing with her hair. He saw her eyes flicker to the dark spot on his side. "But I have to be sure that you don't die."

"I have other people to do that." Lelouch reached up towards his left eye, feeling a finger catch on the invisible tab of the illusion that he kept over that eye. He pulled the illusion away, feeling it dissolve as soon as it moved away from his eye. He blinked to adjust his vision before gesturing to the now red eye with the bird-like Geass symbol there. "And I have this as extra insurance."

C.C. didn't look too impressed by the display. "You'd better put that back on before your lo-knight," she corrected herself as he glared at her, "knight gets back here. You know how much he hates it."

Lelouch rolled his eyes but crafted a new illusion and let it settle back over his eye, waiting out the blurriness that came with it as it settled into place. "Why are you here?"

She pouted; probably annoyed that she hadn't been able to incite him into a shouting match. Lelouch stormed over to his bedroll, waving her out of the way before settling himself down gently. C.C. found another place to sit, staring down at him with an almost fond smile on her face. Lelouch glared at her, not used to that expression on her face regarding him. "Witch…"

"Fine. I came to see if you had made progress in finding your sister. But I see you are too busy with your rebellion to bother."

Lelouch sat up quickly, regretting it a moment later. He settled for shooting her a seething look as he lay back down. "I've found out almost all of those who weren't loyal to the Black Knights or Clovis made it very hard to get information from about these woods unless they were convinced." He gestured towards his left eye. "And even then they could only tell me that they were hiding something."

"That's it?"

"It's enough to convince me that there's something to look for here." Lelouch let his eyes slide shut with a long sigh. "Besides, my duties as Zero will drop to nearly nothing as soon as Nippon is settled again. The Black Knights could use a break."

"And what happens when you find Nunnally?"

Lelouch hesitated for a moment before raising one shoulder in a shrug. "I find a safe place to her while I finish what I am doing."

"You want to find her just to abandon her again."

"No!" Lelouch craned his head before letting it flop back onto his makeshift pillow. "I…I just don't want her in the camp. Things could happen." He and C.C. shared a long look before Lelouch shook his head. "And an empire that does this should be abolished anyway."

He rolled over onto his good side, staring at the tent wall to bring the conversation to an end. He heard C.C sigh and begin to walk towards the back of the tent, only to stop. "I thought you wanted to protect your sister."

"I am. I'm making the world a better place so she can enjoy it instead of live in fear of being kidnapped again."

C.C. didn't comment, the woman slipping out of the tent and into the forest. Lelouch peered over his shoulder when he was sure that she was gone, rolling onto his back again and hissing as his side throbbed. He pressed his head back against his pillow, which was really just a pile of clothes rolled up. Lelouch glared at the ceiling of the tent before reaching back and punching his pillow.

He hated this. He was a prince of Britannia; he had all the rights that he others had. But he was the only one who seemed to care about Nunnally. Since the day she had been kidnapped, no one had tried to look for her or their mother's murderer. Lelouch's hand tightened on his pillow. It had been thirteen years since they had taken Nunnally; he doubted that she even remembered who he was. Lelouch sighed, gripping his pillow again. He had been leading rebellions since he was eleven from behind the scenes, as soon as C.C. decided that he was in full control of his Geass, and he had been leading them directly since he was thirteen. He didn't know how to exist as anyone other than Zero.

"Does it hurt that much?" Lelouch tipped his head back, releasing the death grip he had on his pillow as Suzaku ducked into the tent.

"Of course not." Lelouch huffed, struggling to sit upright. Suzaku was over by his side in an instant, helping him sit up and pull his ruined shirt over his head. The knight stepped away as Lelouch pulled the mask over his eyes down and the fabric back up over his nose and mouth before leaning back using the black shirt to cover the back of his head. "Send him in."

Suzaku tipped his head before walking to the front of the tent, having a hurried discussion with the doctor before escorting the man in. The doctor glanced over at Lelouch, giving a partial bow before getting to work.

Lelouch winced as the wound was quickly washed out, biting his lip and forcing himself to keep still as the doctor began to stitch him back up, only relaxing when Suzaku slipped a hand into his.

Thankfully the whole ordeal was over quickly, the doctor wrapping a bandage around him before gathering his supplies and bowing to the two of them again, scuttling out as fast as he could. No one wanted to stay in Zero's presence for too long, afraid of all of the rumors that had been spread about their leader. Lelouch rolled his eyes at the thought, pulling off both masks and tossing them to the side before slumping on his bedroll, groping for the blankets that were tangled at the foot.

As expected, Suzaku was a step ahead of him, pulling them up. Lelouch grabbed the blankets and his hand, propping himself up on an elbow. "It didn't matter if he saw my face."

"Lelouch…"

"I could have used the Geass." Suzaku frowned at the mention of the power, getting up and stepping over Lelouch to flop down onto his bedroll just on the other side. Lelouch sighed and rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling before closing his eyes.

There was a rustle from where Suzaku was laying down, Lelouch hesitating for a moment before sliding one hand out into the small open space between their two sleeping spaces. He smiled when Suzaku reached out to rest a hand over his own.


	3. Chain of Events

** Chapter Two: Chain of Events **

Nunnally woke up to the sound of someone moving on the floor below her. She sat upright in bed and tensed, remaining like that for a moment before relaxing. Only one person could find the tower, which meant that Uncle V.V. was home. She smiled and pushed the covers back, quickly hurrying over to her closet to pull out a dress and slip it on, taking the time to brush her hair before stepping out onto the landing that connected her bedroom to the stairs.

Only then did she stop and realize that it was far too early for her uncle to even be here in the first place. It was earlier than she woke up on most days, but not more than an hour. She winced at that thought, knowing that the main living area of the tower was going to be a mess since she hadn't done her morning cleaning.

Nunnally took a deep breath and descended the stairs, lifting her skirts up to keep from tripping down the stairs. She stood by the railing, watching her uncle pace back and forth across the floor before slumping into a chair, folding her hands in front of her before clearing her throat. V.V. looked up at the sound, the shocked look on his face slipping into a smile. He held out a hand and gestured for Nunnally to come over. "I woke you."

It wasn't an apology; Uncle V.V. never apologized for anything, like he never told her his real name. She had been warned when she was young that it was too dangerous to use his real name, just like he had warned her never to go outside.

She just smiled. "I'm sorry I wasn't down sooner."

"You're a growing girl."

"And for the mess."

V.V. looked around in surprise, probably noticing the mess for the first time. He just shrugged and turned his attention to the mirror across from him, tapping his fingers against his chair. Nunnally shifted nervously in place before glancing around the circular room and deciding that she might as well do something.

"Nunnally," she stopped and turned back to her uncle, "I have some news to share."

"About my family?" She smiled and hurried over to her stool, settling herself down and waiting for V.V. to speak again. She looked forward to these little bits of news about the outside world almost as much as he looked forward to her uncle's visits. It was the only news that she got about the world at all.

V.V. nodded and sat back, staring at her other his fingers, seeming to consider her for a moment before speaking. "Your father is still ill; he's even called his first born son to him."

"Oh no."

Her uncle just raised one eyebrow, like he wasn't talking about the impending death of his own brother. He cleared his throat, reminding Nunnally to remain quiet. She covered her mouth with her hands before settling down again, keeping her gaze on the floor. V.V. waited just long enough to be sure that she wouldn't speak up again before going back to his dry delivery of the news. "Odysseus isn't going to be the next emperor, he's far too sedate. Schneizel will take the throne."

"But what about the other princes?"

"Dead."

"No."

V.V. just nodded. "They fought for the crown and lost. Exactly what I warned my brother about."

"What about Cornelia?"

"She has been disgraced. She was found with a commoner." V.V. made a face of disgust before becoming expressionless again. "Princess Euphemia's body was found recently. It was Zero."

Nunnally sucked in a quick breath at the mention of the leader of the rebellion. Her uncle glanced at her before continuing on. "We have witnesses to the event."

"No."

"He's killed Clovis now as well." V.V. picked a bit of dust off his sleeve, watching it fall to the ground. Nunnally found her gaze following the spec as well, biting her lip to keep from commenting. If she continued to interrupt her uncle might decide to leave her again and she desperately wanted to hear the news about her family. "Tonight actually, the news is just being sent out now. Nippon will be free by the morning. It's a pity that there's no one to thank him for it."

Nunnally looked up quickly at that, V.V. giving her a slow smile before shrugging. "Not the death of your brother, no, but the freeing of the people. Your father made a stupid mistake when he decided to push the empire out further, it would have just made ruling difficult for the one that succeeded him."

She nodded slowly, trying to understand her uncle's logic, but she couldn't wrap her mind around it. Maybe it was because she didn't have the mind for complex politics because V.V. never talked about it or because she had never been outside and seen the world that her father had created. Either way, she could never look at the growing rebellion and just see it as V.V. did, she would always think of the people who lost their lives in the attempt.

Her gaze strayed from the floor to the series of candles that she had lining a shelf, these ones different from the white ones that she made for her everyday use. These ones were colored and had names carefully carved into them. Nunnally smiled wistfully at the supply, making a mental note that she would have to make one for Clovis now, frowning as she tried to pick out a color for him. She had never met her half brother in the short time she had been out in the world, and she was regretting that now. Euphemia would also need one.

"What are you thinking about?"

Nunnally started at the question, blushing before looking back at her candles. "What colors I should make Euphemia and Clovis' candles."

V.V. stared at the shelf for a moment before shrugging. "Blue and pink, fitting colors for a boy and a girl."

"But will it fit them."

He stared at her, waiting until Nunnally shrunk away before speaking again. "They're dead. I don't see why it matters."

"The dead should be respected."

"It still doesn't change the fact that they are dead. Nothing will." V.V. stood up, apparently tired with her already. Nunnally bit her lip, keeping her gaze on the floor. Her uncle would shuffle around the tower for a bit, making sure that she had all the supplies she needed until his next visit if he hadn't done that already. There would be very little talk between them now, V.V. probably sick of her naïve questions. But this was her only chance to ask for this, especially since she didn't know when he would get back.

"Uncle?" He stopped moving to show that he was listening, Nunnally taking a deep breath before standing up. "Can I make one request?"

V.V. nodded, Nunnally taking that small bit of encouragement. "I…I want to go outside." Her uncle stiffened, Nunnally quickly rushing through the rest of her explanation. "Not too far, just to the nearest village and not even for one day. I just want to go there on Remembrance Day, just long enough to put candles into the lake with the rest of world to remember all of those that have died."

"You can do that here."

"A tub isn't the same."

"It's the same idea." V.V. adjusted his cloak before staring at her, finally shaking his head. "It's too dangerous, especially with Zero out there."

"But Uncle-"

"Listen." He snapped out the word, Nunnally reacting immediately and sitting down quickly. V.V. glared at her before sighing and resting a hand on his forehead. "The world out there is completely unsafe, even with your Geass; especially with your Geass. If you go out there, the power will try and twist you into some monster. Even if you survive that, people will want to use you or kill you for having that power. It's dangerous to be a member of the Britannian royal family because of our curse."

Nunnally nodded, wringing her hands. V.V. must have noticed her distress because he toned down his voice, talking a little above a whisper. "Besides, rescuing you from your kidnappers injured you. Outside of this tower, you won't be able to walk. Then, you would be forced to use your Geass to protect yourself, and that would just make it easier for the power to twist you."

"I'm sorry, uncle."

He petted her head hesitantly, like he didn't know what to do with her. "You are young, innocent and kind-hearted; all of those reasons that I keep you in here. I'm keeping you safe until the fighting stops and then I'll return you to your home, I promise you that.

"As for the candles," he paused to look up at them, "I could take them for you."

"No, uncle. I wouldn't make you go out of your way for something silly like that." Nunnally hung her head. "I'll just do what I do every year. Thank you for listening though and for the news."

"Of course." V.V. settled his cloak, glancing back at her before walking to the large window that served as the only entry and exit to the tower. Nunnally remained on her stool, watching as her uncle opened the window before using the rope to climb down. He must have brought this rope himself because the one that Nunnally usually used was still coiled in its accustomed spot.

She waited until her uncle had climbed to the bottom before going over to the metal hook that the rope had been tied to and untied it, tossing the end down to her uncle. She waved good-bye, knowing that he would return the wave, leaning against the sill to watch as he made his way to the vine covered cave that led out of the little valley.

Nunnally sighed, glancing down to the carpet of green grass and flowers that surrounded her tower, no longer scared of the drop. She kept her gaze fixed on the ground, not really seeing it after a moment as she went back to her thoughts, running over what her uncle had told her.

Zero was still out there, the masked figure that was bringing the empire to its knees, the one that was causing her father so much pain. She supposed that she had to hate him, but even that would be forced. Disliking his methods and hating Zero here two different things. Zero brought hope to the people who were trapped in the grip of a struggling empire, something that both she and V.V. approved of. But that didn't excuse all of the people he had murdered, even thought most of them were just names to her.

She pushed away from the window, walking around the room and opening the rest of the windows to let in the light. Automatically, she reached for the broom, carefully sweeping the floor and humming to herself, the routine settling her deeper into her thoughts.

She had never expected V.V. to just let her go out, it had just been a silly hope, a little girl's dream that she had hung onto too long. V.V. had told her enough times of what the world was really like, a cruel place where a girl like her would get used, and that was not counting her curse. Nunnally paused in her sweeping to stare at her reflection in the mirror, staring at her left eye but seeing nothing.

V.V. had told her about Geass as soon as she had been old enough to understand. He had told her that it was a curse given to their family by a vengeful witch who had wanted to destroy them, way back when the clans were still fighting each other. It was a curse that was passed down through the royal blood, which meant that all of her siblings had it. V.V. had told her enough horror stories about the Geass to make her wish that she could just give it away, tales about how her siblings had gone mad and killed their family when the Geass went out of control. Thankfully, he had reassured her that it was unlikely that madness was her fate.

Her Geass was a defensive one instead of an offensive one. Instead of being able to use it to change the world around her, it just made everyone perceive her as something to protect; but that could still be used against her.

Nunnally sighed and dropped her hand from her cheek, her gaze straying back to the candles. She smiled and walked over to the shelf, looking over the array of candles there, one for every member of her family that had died and V.V. had told her about. She was sure that he had let some news slip past her, but at least he cared enough to let her know about these few. Her uncle was a busy man, after all.

She reached back for her stool, pulling it up to the shelf and standing on it so she was eye level with the candles, looking over all of them. Today she would have to make Euphemia and Clovis' candles, but that was no huge task for her, especially with the huge amounts of free time between her and Remembrance Day. Nunnally shook her head at the thought, pushing her hair back from her face before reaching out to brush her fingers over one candle with the name Marinanne carefully carved into it.

V.V. had told her that her mother had been murdered by people wanting to posses the power of Geass and that she had been taken by them. He had rescued her later. When she had asked why he had chosen her, he had replied that she would grow up to be the kind ruler that Britannia needed. And she was grateful that she had been saved from the assassinations that were currently running through her family, although she hated that it seemed like no one had been spared. It was why she was happy that Cornelia was out of harms way with her commoner husband.

Nunnally lifted her had from her mother's candle, gently lifting up the candle that sat beside it, taking it from the shelf as she sat down on the stool. The light purple candle looked grey in the dim morning light, Nunnaly holding it in the air as she turned it, reading the name that she had carved into the wax. Lelouch.

She didn't know much about her brother, the only was that was completely related by blood. And he had only been five. Nunnally cradled the candle close to her at the thought. Her brother had only been five when he had been killed by people who wanted her family's power, killed trying to protect her. She could only imagine the horrible torment that he had gone through before her captors had finally killed him. It made her escape with just a ruined hip miraculous.

The thought of her ruined hip just made her blush, Nunnally trying to control the flush as she stood up to replace the candle on the shelf. It was what bound her to this tower indefinitely. Her uncle had told her that the magic in the tower acted like a brace, keeping the shattered bones in place and allowing her to walk without pain in the tower itself. When she had asked about a healer, V.V. had just told her that it was too complicated of a break to fix, and she had accepted that. There was nothing else to do, she couldn't undo it and it was a handicap that she was prepared to live with, even if that meant that she would be confined to a wheeled chair.

There were other people who were far worse off.

Nunnally went back to humming to herself as she filled up a bucket of water, kneeling on the floor to begin to scrub. Hopefully, it would take up a good portion of her morning, because making candles wouldn't take her too long at all, and she wasn't looking forward to the mind numbing boredom that would come afterwards.

* * *

"My lord." V.V. stared down at the man who was bowing before him, sighing before motioning for the man to stand, continuing his walk through the forest.

"Report."

"No sign of her yet, my lord, even though we have been tailing Lelouch." The man swallowed nervously. "We can't even get a spy into the Black Knights, he is always found out. To make matters worse, he found the members we had in Nippon and questioned them. They're all dead now."

V.V. nodded, continuing to stare straight ahead as he considered his options. There was very little he could do in reality, not with that witch hiding. All he knew was that she was connected to Lelouch and, therefore, Zero; his men had managed to find out that the eleventh prince and the rebel leader were the same person. And that had to mean that C.C. was still around him, he was the only child of Marianne that she could get to.

But getting Lelouch in a situation that he couldn't get out of was impossible. The eleventh prince seemed to excel in making the impossible possible, and that's what frustrated V.V. the most. They could never get to Lelouch, but Lelouch was an expert at getting to them. And he was getting far too close to Nunnally for V.V's comfort.

"Can this be salvaged?"

"No, Lelouch has started his attack on the capital city of Nippon. It will fall before the day is over; it's still in disarray from Clovis' death. And by tomorrow, he will be helping Nippon recover. The only thing we can do is cut off our people from the intelligence ring."

"The time to do that has passed. He'll know that we're close, Lelouch is not an idiot like the rest of his siblings." V.V. straightened his cloak, taking a deep breath before sighing. At least he was sure that Nunnally wouldn't be discovered without him knowing. And, even if someone found the tower, there was no way to get up. Or at least he hoped for that. There was no telling with Lelouch.

There were many times that he had wished that he had just killed the prince that night in the corridor instead of letting him live.

"Alright, we start moving now. Focus your efforts on finding the remains of the royal family and watching them. Those who have a Geass close to becoming out of their control, kill. The rest, look for suitable kings and queens."

"And if we find one?"

"Then Nunnally is no longer needed."

* * *

Lelouch calmed Arthur with a hand on his neck, raising his head to peer out at the battlefield through the slits in his visor. The charger snorted and jigged to the side, Lelouch tugging on the reins once to reinforce the order to stand before leaning forward and peering down at the battlefield.

It was his belief that a king should lead his own army and it chafed him to have to sit so far back from the battle to give orders, but it was the best solution. He had tried once to lead the final attack on a capital, only to have it fall to pieces because his orders hadn't be relayed fast enough, so he had stuck to the back. Even so, that just made him more determined to lead the raids on his own as well as take on missions where he would go in alone, much to the distress of his knight and his body guards.

He nudged Arthur to one side, peering down at the tide of battle before looking over at the young man who stood ready with the signal flags. "Tell Ohgi and Tamaki to circle around the flanks and push forward; force them into the center of our line."

The boy nodded, waving the flags to convey the orders, Lelouch smiling as his forces moved into place. He ignored the snort from the horse beside him for now, tapping his fingers against the reins before nodding. "Send Todoh and his group through the center, cut their troops in half."

The signal went through again, Lelouch leaning back with a smile, happy to see his plan going so well. Within moments, he was sure that some of the staff who had joined the Black Knights would strike down the flag of Britannia and put up the original flag of Nippon, with the banner of the Black Knights flying under it. That would be enough to demoralize the militia fighting below to surrender. But, to be sure…"Suzaku."

"No." He turned to look at his knight, Suzaku sitting calmly on Lancelot. Suzaku turned his head, his expression unreadable with the visor of his helm down. "My place is by your side."

Even as he said that, Lelouch watched him shift in the saddle. His knight was probably missing his time spent on the battlefield. When Suzaku had been Euphemia's knight he had been constantly out in the midst of battle, because Euphy had been busy taking care of the wounded and fallen. Lelouch suspected that Suzaku missed his part in their war, not because the knight enjoyed killing, but because it felt like he was actually doing something. Sitting on a horse a good distance from the battle hardly felt involved. But, knowing Suzaku, this was his way of punishing himself for letting Euphy die; although it hadn't been his fault.

Lelouch looked away, focusing on the battle instead of Suzaku and the pain in his side. Thankfully the critical part of the battle had passed without the wound being too distracting. But now, in the sweltering heat of the day and the weight of his armor, it was throbbing. Lelouch shifted, trying to find a spot to ease the pain but finding no relief. He sighed and settled into a position that hurt less than the others, listening to his chain mail rattle as it brushed against the breast plate that he wore.

Of course he hadn't been able to go off to battle in his non-armored version of the Zero outfit, not with his dutiful knight watching him closely. So he was stuck, in the blazing sun, in chain mail, gauntlets, greaves, helmet, back plate and breast plate with the black shirt and cape over it. He shot a glare at Suzaku before settling himself again. It was nothing to get angry over, just annoyed.

"Sir?" He looked at the boy, turning his head to look in the direction that the boy was pointing, watching the signal flags from across the battlefield. He read them even as the boy was still working out the code. It was Kallen's group, and they were in trouble.

He had sent his elite bodyguard away in the middle of the battle to lead away the small cavalry that the capital had; although it had been more because he couldn't take Kallen's angry glare at him. He was sure that she would corner him in the camp as soon as this was over and yell at him for getting himself hurt the night before. But that was better that Suzaku's disappointed silence that would follow him for weeks.

Lelouch sighed, reaching up to rub his forehead only to remember that he was wearing his helmet at the last moment, letting his fingers just rest against the side of the helmet, splaying over the metal as he thought. They had to keep that cavalry away for as long as possible, both to exhaust the cavalry horses and to save the foot soldiers that made up most of the Black Knights' forces. Lelouch took a short moment to laugh at that, the fact that his rebellion was made up anything but knights.

He looked up again, staring at the main battle. It seemed to be going well, the army that Clovis had been building crumpling easily under the assault. There was only a few more minutes left before they surrendered, but that was only if reinforcements didn't get there. With Kallen struggling, it would be easily for the cavalry to come charging back in. His hands tightened on the reins as he ran through all the plans that he could use before deciding on one.

He turned Arthur away from the battle; sure that Suzaku was watching him. "My lord?"

Lelouch ignored his knight, holding Arthur back long enough to speak to the signal boy. "Tell Kallen a distraction is on its way."

He kicked Arthur forward, ignoring the enraged shout from Suzaku. If he had gambled right, the appearance of Zero would be enough to cause the cavalry to chase after him. Kallen would be sure to follow with her guard, the fact that he was blatantly putting his life in danger enough to ensure that. And Suzaku wouldn't be too far behind, knowing his knight. Either way, the cavalry would be far enough away from the main battle for the Black Knights to get the victory that they needed, and it would be simple enough for him to circle back around.

Lelouch kept Arthur at a trot, ignoring his horse's impatience as he moved along the outskirts of the battle, searching for where Kallen and her guard were. He pulled up Arthur as he found them, sitting up straight in his saddle, flinching in pain at the pull on the wound.

It didn't take long for the enemy to notice him, an imposing figure in black sitting on a black horse. Even then, the distinctive helmet that he wore would give him away. Lelouch narrowed his eyes, watching the small cavalry force form up before sweeping an arm out, the motion making his cape flare out behind him. He turned Arthur towards the forest that surrounded the castle, kicking the charger into a gallop as the cavalry raced towards him.

Distantly he heard Kallen scream at him, choosing to focus on steering Arthur through the trees, taking the time to note that it was time that the Black Knights started training archers. It would take out the tedious business of setting traps with himself as bait and the lectures that Suzaku and Kallen would give him when they got back to their camp.

A branch knocked against his helmet, Lelouch ducking lower over Arthur's neck. He couldn't tell if Kallen and her guard were following him over the sound of the pursuit, nor could he tell if there was anyone coming from in front. Lelouch cursed under his breath, sneaking a look over his shoulder only to see a flash of blue. He ducked again, hearing a man scream from behind him. When he looked up again, it was to pull Arthur into a canter, having to carefully maneuver the larger horse in the small space.

As expected, Suzaku had caught up with him and was now charging into the fray. Lelouch narrowed his eyes at that, watching as the knight pushed his horse into the midst of the group, obviously outnumbered and obviously without backup. Lelouch bit back a curse at the realization. He had been too skillful in trying to throw his pursuers off of his tail; he had managed to lose Kallen and the others.

He turned Arthur around, hesitating as he saw that Suzaku was still in the middle of the group. It would be so easy to just leave Suzaku behind, just to facilitate his own escape but mostly to rid himself of the guilt that came with the look that Suzaku wore after he came back from battle; the look of disappointment that he was still alive. Then again, he was too selfish to let that happen, Britannia had taken too much from him, his mother, his sister, Euphy…it was not going to get his knight.

"Suzaku!" The knight turned at the call, sword raised to parry an attack.

Lelouch raised his hand and gestured for Suzaku to follow, freezing when the knight seemed to ignore him. His hand clenched into a fist, Lelouch lowering it back to his side a moment later. It had never crossed his mind that Suzaku would disobey him.

He relaxed a moment later as Suzaku disengaged with the cavalry, urging Lancelot over to Arthur. Lelouch kicked his charger, slipping into the lead as the two raced through the forest, glancing back over his shoulder to be sure that Suzaku was following him. Lelouch shook his head, freezing when he spotted other horses coming from their left. The riders weren't wearing the usual Black Knights uniform, Lelouch staring a bit longer to be sure of what he was seeing.

His pursuers had split into two to try and circle around him, and he hadn't noticed it.

Lelouch cursed, turning to look at where they were going before hauling the reins to the left, cutting right across where the second group was coming for him. The sudden change in direction had the riders in front pulling up, the others running into them. They fell in a tangle of men and horses, Lelouch using the distraction to pull Arthur in another direction, hearing Suzaku shout for him to slow down. But he couldn't, not now. He had to get back to his viewing spot and watch the tide of battle, there was too much riding on this to just stop.

Arthur snorted as Lancelot gained ground, the two chargers barely fitting on the trail, the legs of their rides squished between the two horses. Lelouch gritted his teeth and looked over at Suzaku, not able to see the knight's expression from beneath the visor. "Suzaku…"

"Not this way."

He doesn't get the time to think over the words before the first group of cavalry is on them again, Suzaku pulling away from him to resume his duty. Arthur stumbled as Lancelot knocked against him, Lelouch nearly toppling from the horse. That was enough of an opening for one of the riders to chance ducking around Suzaku and heading for him.

Lelouch immediately fumbled for the sword by his side. It was only there to finish off the look of a knight in armor, he wasn't nearly as well trained as Suzaku nor did he have the strength to use it for long, it was his final defense. He wrapped his hand around the hilt, pulling it from its scabbard and turning to face the oncoming rider only to drop the sword to the ground with a shout of pain. Lelouch reached for his injured side without thinking, his eyes widening when he realized what he had just done.

He had shown a weakness in front of the enemy, now they all knew where to aim to debilitate him. And he was without a sword. His only chance would be to run.

Arthur lunged into a gallop at the sharp kick, Lelouch planning out a route through the forest that would bring him close to a fighting group. They would be able to take care of the rider tailing him so he could go back up to his place. And all the while he was cursing himself for his own stupidity. Instead of going with the first plan that had come to mind, he should have analyzed everything or at least not let his guard down long enough for this to happen.

The cover of the trees disappeared, Arthur sliding to a quick stop that had Lelouch scrambling for the pommel of the saddle to hold on. The weight of his armor didn't help, pulling him off balance and off of his horse. He grunted as he hit the ground, immediately rolling out of the way as Arthur tossed his head and jigged in place, trying to get off of the ground.

He struggled up to his feet in time to see the rider charging at him, Lelouch leaning backwards to avoid a blow to his head, his boot slipping off the edge of something. He spun to see what he was falling off of, staring at the cliff that he was teetering on the edge on. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted the narrow trail winding down the face of the cliff, already trying to calculate how to land on that instead of falling to his death.

Lelouch heard a shout from the rider as the man came around again, reaching up when the man leaned over and grabbing onto his arm. The move sent him over the cliff, but Lelouch kept a hold on the man's arm, twisting them both so he was sliding down the cliff on his back, letting go when the turn was complete. He immediately tried to slow his fall, his hands scrambling on the face of the cliff, digging his heels in to further slow his momentum.

Fortunately, his plan worked, some of the narrow path crumbling as he touched down, one foot slipping over the edge before Lelouch pushed himself back against the cliff face. The man he had dragged down with him just plummeted down, staring up at him in surprise. The man probably thought that this had been Lelouch's plan the entire time, that enough to bring a smile to Lelouch's face.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his pounding heart. Now all he had to do was climb back up to the top. Or, Lelouch frowned and glanced down, it would probably easier to walk to the bottom of the cliff and search for a way to get back up. He wasn't willing to trust his safety to this trail for much longer, and the parts of the trail that were closer to the forest below him would be safer, less likely to crumble because of their exposure to the wind and rain.

"ZERO!" Lelouch looked up, craning his head back to look up at where he had fallen from. His hand strayed up to his helmet, resting against the metal before he forced it back down. He would take the helmet off only when he was sure that he was alone, there was far too much riding on his alias for him to be revealed. While there were a few in the camp who knew who he really was, the rest of the members of the Black Knights all freely expressed their hatred for the royal family.

There was a soft grunt from above him, Lelouch tipping his head even further back and nearly falling off the trail. He sighed and shifted slowly, moving his back from the side of the cliff so he could see better, missing the steady presence of the earth behind his back.

He saw Suzaku's face peering down at him for a moment before the brunette sighed and ducked his head into his arms, Lelouch guessing that Suzaku had thrown his helmet away when he had come running over. He sighed and reached up; frowning when he realized that he had fallen too far to even reach the edge of the cliff. "Suzaku-"

"I thought you had-"

"Not now." He couldn't have his knight breaking on him now. He needed Suzaku, just to have someone steady to depend on. Lelouch supposed that Kallen or Ohgi could have worked just as well, but he had known Suzaku longer; the knight had been his only playmate when he was still directly under C.C's care. "Get my saddlebags and lower them down to me. Then you are going back to the Black Knights and making sure that the take over was successful."

"No!"

"Yes! I will not lose a year and a half of work because of you! You will go back." Lelouch pulled off his helmet and glared up at Suzaku.

"As your knight, it's my duty to-"

Lelouch lost his patience and threw the helmet at Suzaku, disappointed when it was caught. He allowed himself a moment to seethe before leaning against the side of the cliff again, raising his hand towards his left eye in an obvious threat. "Go back, reorganize the Black Knights and then meet me down there. I'll be waiting. Now, saddlebags and leave."

Suzaku hesitated for a moment longer before his training kicked him, the brunette standing up and trudging back over to the horses. Lelouch sighed and rested his forehead against the cliff, taking deep breaths to calm himself down. He smirked when he heard Suzaku curse, hoping that Arthur had found a spot that wasn't covered in armor to bite. In fact, he hoped that Arthur gave Suzaku hell the entire way back to the Black Knights, just to reinforce the fact that Lelouch was angry with him.

The knight returned a moment later with the saddlebags, Lelouch standing up on tip toe to be able to catch them, the move nearly sending him tumbling off the trail he was on. He grabbed onto a handhold as quickly as he could, swaying until he managed to balance again, letting out a long sigh. When he was sure of his footing, Lelouch glared up at Suzaku, the knight down on his stomach again to peer down at him. "Don't come after me until everything is settled."

He tossed the saddlebags over his shoulder, almost crumpling at the weight. Lelouch winced, knowing he was tired if this was causing him pain. He tried to hide it as best as he could, listening to Suzaku struggling to stand up on his feet and follow him as far as the cliff would allow. Lelouch rolled his eyes and carefully began to edge his way down the trail, testing out the footing before the dared to move onward. For now, he would ignore Suzaku, getting out of here alive was more important. There were other Areas to free and more information to gather about his missing sister. In the big scheme of things, camping out for a few days on his own would be no problem.

* * *

This was a problem.

Suzaku ducked his head, ignoring the pain in his shoulder as Arthur did his best to make the trip back to the castle as difficult as possible. Lancelot, of course, would do nothing to help. The two horses got along perfectly fine but hated the other's rider. Arthur was the only one that would resort to violence to get his hatred across; Lancelot just glared Lelouch into submission, a sight that Suzaku had never thought he would live to see.

He groaned at another hard tug, followed up by Arthur deciding to lean on his leg, suddenly wishing that the horse would bite him and be done with it. Although, Arthur's antics were a welcome distraction from the other problems at hand.

Like the fact that the Black Knights were without a leader since Lelouch had decided to throw himself off a cliff.

Suzaku suddenly wanted to dismount and beat his head bloody against a tree.

Damn Lelouch and his rebellion. Damn him for being the one that he and Kaguya had to run to when the then viceroy of Area 11 had decided to use his village as an example. Damn him for using force instead of using the power that came from being one of royal blood. Damn his stubbornness. And damn him for being the only safe place in this crazy world.

Suzaku gritted his teeth and forced Arthur to move over, ignoring the angry snort from the horse. Even with all of that, he couldn't force himself to regret meeting Lelouch, he never could do that. Lelouch had been the one friend he had, aside from his cousin. Lelouch had been the one to keep them sane and safe while their village and three others had been completely destroyed because of a failed rebellion. And, even after their rocky friendship, Lelouch had been the one to take Kaguya away to safety when they had been caught.

And, indirectly, Lelouch had been the reason he had met Euphy in the first place.

He still had the scars on his back from the beatings and on his wrist from the manacles, although the latter had faded a bit with time. Suzaku shuddered at the memory. His family had been indirectly connected to that failed rebellion and he had been the only living member that they had been able to find, so they had beaten him. He still remembered the constant fear that he was going to die. And then Euphy had saved him.

Suzaku still didn't know why a princess of Britannia had chosen to take pity on him and give him the training to become her knight, albeit the training was done quickly and sloppily, but it had served him well. And, in return for her kindness, he had served her well, until the day had come for them to run.

He still didn't know the full details, just that Euphy had barged into his room one night panicking and telling him that they had to leave because it wasn't safe anymore, that someone was after her. He had never questioned it, just gathered what little belongings he had and helped her escape. And, when she had asked where they could go that was safe, he had thought of Lelouch; he still hated himself for that decision.

They had fled to where the Black Knights were hiding and Lelouch had taken them in without explanation. Knowing his friend, Lelouch had probably thought that the extra fighter would help. Then again, it could have also been because of Euphy and her Geass. Either way, they were safe, hidden with the Black Knights and helping free the providences.

Suzaku should have known that something would go wrong when Lelouch turned his sights on Area 11; his homeland seemed to destroy everything he held dear.

First it had taken his village and his entire family in that first strike against the failed rebellion.

Then it had taken Kayuga, his cousin dying in a fierce attack when one general under Clovis had decided to ignore the tradition of battle to leave the camp followers untouched. None of them, not even Lelouch had expected that. They had rushed back to the camp at the first signal of distress only to find that nearly everything had been destroyed and everyone that they had left behind had been killed.

That the general had ordered the attack had been handed over to the Black Knights under Clovis' orders was a small boon, a kind of weak apology for the needless slaughter. Although watching the Black Knights rip the man apart with their bare hands with Lelouch watching impassively over it all had made Suzaku sick.

Finally, it had taken his princess from him, although he had helped in that regard. He had been fighting his own urges for a while, wanting more than a friendship with Euphy but knowing that he could never have her like that. Euphemia was a princess of Britannia and he was just a lowly Eleven with no family and no future without her. He wasn't worthy of her, so he had fought the urge. But then, Lelouch was just there.

Suzaku blushed at the memory of that time when he had lost control, he and Lelouch stumbling into his tent, frantically tearing off each other's clothes. And then the aftermath, when Suzaku had been lying on the ground, wanting to feel horrible and disgusted, but unable to because of the way Lelouch looked at him. He should have run from the tent as soon as he came back to his senses, but he had remained, seducing Lelouch again with kisses and light touches when he should have been looking out for his princess.

Euphemia had come looking for them, apparently because Lelouch had set up a raid that he would lead. Suzaku never found out if she had actually seen them together or just heard them; all he knew was that she had volunteered to lead it in her half brother's stead. And that had been the last time anyone had seen her alive.

When the members of the raid came stumbling back, injured but alive, and he and Lelouch had finally managed to break away from each other, they learned what happened. The raid had been a success, but only because Princess Euphemia had sacrificed herself so that they could all escape.

Suzaku didn't remember the frantic ride that he and Lelouch had taken out to the ruined storehouses, he just remembered seeing Euphy's burned, torn and tattered corpse; then he had broken down and been completely useless. He had just held her, begging for her to come back and apologizing for everything he had done, promising that he would do everything that she wanted as long as she came back to him. He knew that he had rambled the entire time Lelouch struggled to dig a grave for her, not even sure of everything that he promised her, but he did remember the shocked and hurt look that Lelouch had shot him.

He frowned and tried to remember what he had promised Euphy then, but there was nothing. That whole night was a blur to him, the only clear fact was that Euphemia was dead; the one that he owed his life to was dead. Sometime on the ride back to camp, Lelouch had offered him the chance to leave, but Suzaku had panicked. Lelouch was his one friend left and, more importantly, Euphy's brother. He had heard all of the stories of their childhood together, heard how much she adored her older brother despite what he was doing. So he had promised to be Lelouch's knight, more to keep something of Euphemia close to him then for Lelouch's sake.

Sudden pressure against his leg shook Suzaku out of his thoughts, the knight cursing and pushing Arthur away again, only to have the horse nearly pull him from his own mount as Arthur lunged forward with a whinny. He yanked on the reins, pulling Arthur back towards him, only to freeze as he heard an answering nicker. He narrowed his eyes, carefully looking around the forest. If it was the last bits of the defenders of Clovis' castle, then it would probably be better to run, he couldn't fight and keep two horses close, and the Black Knights couldn't lose one. Lancelot and Arthur doubled as cart horses when the need was there.

To his relief, it was just Kallen, the young woman pulling up her roan mare and staring at him. Only then did Suzaku realize how horrible the situation looked. He was alone with his helmet off, leading Lelouch's horse with Zero's helmet slung over the saddle. He swallowed as Kallen's mouth dropped open in shock. "It's not what it looks like."

"Then what is it?"

"Zero had been…detained." Suzaku flinched at the phrasing, hoping that it just got the message across. He didn't want to have to deal with the chaos that would ensue if the Black Knights thought Zero was dead. Suzaku had a bad feeling that he would be the first that they would turn on. "He ordered me back here to oversee the taking of the capital."

"You?" Suzaku nodded glumly, already knowing Kallen's opinion of him. She shook her head. "He knows what he's doing. But why you?"

Suzaku just shrugged, Kallen snorting in disgust and turning her mare away. Suzaku ducked his head and followed after her, knowing that Lelouch had broken the chain of command by asking him to do this. He urged Lancelot up to walk next to Kallen and her mare, yelping in pain as Arthur decided to squish his leg again, trapping his other leg against Kallen and her horse. To his dismay, Kallen didn't bother to move her mare, continuing to crush him between them.

He gritted his teeth, clearing his throat, his mouth hanging open as Kallen began her report without an order. "We're holding the few that surrendered as well as the men that Zero wanted to question." She glared at him before shrugging. "We'll be able to resupply here as well as get more horses. You can relax; we might not need your precious Lancelot for mundane jobs anymore."

She cantered away from him at that, Suzaku carefully taking his foot out of the stirrup and giving it a shake, feeling the blood flow back into it. He shook his head, letting Lancelot follow them, ignoring the pain in his shoulder as Arthur continued to ignore him.

To his relief, none of the Black Knights looked panicked that he was leading Arthur and that their leader was nowhere to be seen. He supposed that Zero was off often enough that it didn't worry them. He passed off Lancelot and Arthur to two eager boys who waited in the courtyard of the castle. Suzaku smiled at the sight of the both of them, shaking his head. He was sure that the two would be shadowing him as long as he remained at the castle.

Suzaku sighed, pulling off his gloves and running a hand through his sweaty hair, looking around nervously as he entered the castle. As expected, one of the Black Knights immediately appeared, seeming confused that Zero wasn't with him. The man recovered and bowed to Suzaku before leading him down a corridor. "Kallen said you would be coming."

"She did?"

"She also said you would be looking after the people Zero asked for us to detain."

"She did." Suzaku suddenly felt like walking away and falling asleep. Of course Kallen would put him in charge of that, just another thing that he would have to balance when all he wanted to do was rush after Lelouch. There was a distinct possibility that he would want to strangle Lelouch when he first found him, but that was a normal impulse when it came to his friend.

He was guided into a room, Suzaku feeling a headache beginning to form. He rubbed his forehead and looked around, watching the man walk away. He waited until the door closed to turn around, staring at the people who were bound and under guard. Suzaku nodded at the guards before waving them away, leaning back against the wall.

There were only three people tied up in the room, two of them sitting quietly and one still struggling. Suzaku took a deep breath, closing his eyes. He kept them closed, wishing a thousand miseries on Lelouch at this moment. He didn't want to have to do this, question them about the set list that Lelouch had used the other times with Suzaku standing by. He had only averted his eyes when Lelouch used his Geass, preferring not to look on the power that made his people call the Britannian royal family demons.

He looked back at the guards, taking a moment before kneeling down next to the youngest prisoner. The man stopped struggling, staring up at him with fear, the expression turning his stomach. Suzaku sighed and closed his eyes. "I'm giving you a chance that you probably never get. You've heard about Zero questioning the others like you?" The prisoner nodded frantically. "Then just tell me now, and you won't have to wait for Zero."

The prisoner shook his head, Suzaku sighing and standing up again. This was something that could wait for when Lelouch got back. He turned and stumbled over to the doors, the guards moving back to their place. Suzaku gave them a lazy wave before heading out to the stables. He would get his stuff and find a place to sleep. Tomorrow, he could focus on delegating tasks to the appropriate people and he would go after Lelouch, no matter what his orders were.

Suzaku hunched his shoulders as he stepped out into the courtyard. The rest of the Black Knights would be scattered within the castle, which meant that he would have to sleep out in the stables if he wanted to stay away from the people who would question him.

"Sir? Sir!" He jumped at the sound of his name, looking down at the kid who was running along side of him. "I took care of your horse, sir, your things are waiting."

"Thanks." Suzaku ignored the delighted smile from the child, trudging into the barn and finding his saddlebags. He didn't bother to look through them, climbing the ladder into the hayloft and flopping down. The saddlebags were gently placed down on the ground, Suzaku reaching inside and carefully rooting around. He gently pulled something from the clothing that he had inside, cradling the ornament in his hands.

Suzaku turned it over in his hands, tracing his fingers over the white ceramic wings. Euphy had given this to him when they had taken shelter with the Black Knights, a symbol of what he was to her even when he had doubted his actions. He smiled and clutched it close to him, staring at it for a moment more before gently tucking it away. He couldn't wear it anymore, not after swearing his allegiance to Lelouch and becoming his knight. Especially after he had helped the Black Knights kill, something that he had never wanted to do, he had hoped to find a solution to the plight of his people without this violence. But he wasn't quite sure he believed in that entirely anymore.

He rolled over onto his side, using the saddlebags as a pillow, only then wishing that he should have asked the boy to help him remove his armor. But, at least he knew that Lelouch was probably as miserable as he was, something that he wished on his friend for all the trouble that Lelouch was putting him through. Suzaku yawned before burrowing into the hay, falling into a fitful sleep.


	4. Princess in the Tower

** Chapter Three: Princess in the Tower **

He was miserable.

Lelouch shivered, wrapping his cape more tightly around himself and glaring out at the forest and the rain that fell. He huffed and leaned back up against the tree, feeling his muscles protesting the position. Sleeping in his armor and chain mail hadn't been the most comfortable. In fact, he hadn't slept for more than a few hours.

He reached up to rub at his eyes, stifling a yawn. He would probably be dozing off in a few minutes anyway, but he had to stay awake to watch his pitfall trap. It wasn't as deep as he had wanted it to be, but it should work. Lelouch's stomach grumbled in response to that thought, Lelouch licking his lips and drawing his knees closer.

He had to keep walking along the cliff, away from the castle towards where the ground sloped down. If he moved fast enough, he and Suzaku would meet in the middle. Still, there would be delays for food, which would be hard to catch with only his knife. Lelouch lowered one hand to brush his hand over the hilt before sighing and tipping his head back. Part of him wished that he had allowed Suzaku to pull him up, but that might have sent them both falling to their deaths.

Lelouch straightened up as he heard something stumbling along the trail, watching as a deer came to the pitfall only to leap over it, feeling the knife slip from his fingers. Lelouch groaned and curled up, pressing his forehead against his knees. Was it too much to ask for one thing to go right for him?

He ran his hand though his hair before getting up, leaning over to put his knife back into his belt and pick up his saddlebags, wincing at the pain in his side. He hadn't been able to look at the wound or change the bandage because he couldn't get the armor off. There were some pieces that he would be able to remove himself, but there were others that he needed someone else to remove, and that was usually Suzaku's job.

Lelouch settled the bags over his shoulder and began walking, searching for another place to wait out the rain. Once the rain stopped he would move on and search for easier prey, all he had to do is keep moving. There were a few people at the castle that he could question for Nunnally's whereabouts, the last vestiges of the group that his uncle had set up that had remained in Nippon. Of course he would spend what free time he had while Nippon was settling searching for Nunnally in the forest or sending new recruits on scouting missions to cover more ground than he could alone.

He walked down the trail, flicking his soaking bangs out of his eyes as he walked. It was pouring now, Lelouch glancing around before heading away from the cliff and towards the thicker cover. There would be another pine tree, one with more branches and better cover. Somewhere where he could stay warm and not spend another night shivering.

Lelouch ducked under a dripping branch, coming up to short stop as he found himself staring at the entrance to a cave. He hesitated before walking forward slowly, staring at the vines that dangled in front of it, searching for a sign of movement. His hand strayed down to where his knife hung, fingers tapping against the hilt before he let it drop to his side.

A cave would be a better shelter because it was sure to be dry and stay dry. That and he wouldn't have to worry about burning his shelter down. Lelouch looked around before walking towards the cave, pushing aside the vines and lowering the saddlebags to the floor.

The floor of the cave was covered with leaves near the front, Lelouch pushing them to the side and trying to create some sort of bed, wincing at the rough measures that he was forced to take. Compared to this, his tent and clothes pillow were a feather mattress and the finest pillow in the land. Lelouch cleared out a space for his fire, glancing towards the vines that covered the entrance. He would have to brave the rain again to gather firewood.

Lelouch sighed and reached down to strip off his greaves, throwing them over towards where his saddlebags were. He reached up, struggling with the straps on his breastplate, managing to get one side unhooked before attacking the other side, his fingers fumbling on the leather strap before it came undone. Lelouch heaved a sigh of relief before slipping both the breast and back plate to the ground, rolling his shoulders to try to relieve them of the pain. The chainmail would have to wait, the clasps too far out of his limited reach.

He walked back to the front of the cave, lifting the vines aside and peering outside. If he could gather enough deadfall he would be alright for the night. And, if it rained this hard again the next day he had a shelter to use. But then, staying in one place would make it easier on Suzaku, but do nothing for his impatience. Lelouch pressed one hand against the cold stone, shaking his head before retreating into the cave again.

Lelouch made sure that his armor and saddlebags were stowed out of the immediate line of sight, glancing around to see if there was a better hiding spot than in the darkest section of the cave that he could find. When nothing met his gaze, he took a breath and stood up, the chain mail that he wore, clanking around him. Lelouch flinched at the sound as it echoed, turning to look over his shoulder automatically. He had been doing the move for so long he had stopped finding it strange. As a prince in exile and the leader of the Black Knights, he had to be aware of what was going on at all times.

He turned back to the front, freezing in place as he processed what he had seen in that one glimpse. There had been a faint light behind him.

Lelouch turned around again, reaching up towards his left eye and peeling the illusion away. He wanted to be prepared if there was anyone in here aside from him, not fumbling to free his eye. He blinked quickly and began to edge down the side of the cave, sticking to the shadows where he knew it would be more difficult for anyone to see him. And, if someone entered the cave from the opposite side, they would be blind for a little while, which would be his chance to strike. His hand dropped down to rest on his knife, his grip on the hilt steady.

It didn't take long to walk the length of the cave, Lelouch surprised that he hadn't spotted this earlier. Then again, he had been dangerously single minded about getting out of the rain. He narrowed his eyes, glancing around to check for side passages before taking the last steps to the curtain of greenery that protected this entrance. He raised a hand to rest on the vines, giving the cave one last long look before slipping through and out into the rain.

His eyes widened as he found himself looking at a sheltered valley, automatically checking the higher ground for any archers. Thankfully, the top of the ravine were bare and the walls didn't hide any archers, but that didn't make him loosen his grip on the knife. His gaze when then drawn to the tower standing in the middle of the valley. Lelouch shrunk back towards the walls of the ravine, looking over what he could of the tower and relaxing a fraction.

From what he could see from one side, it wasn't a tower for offense. There weren't any arrow slits or add ons that would make it a strategic place to attack the enemy. The plaster that had been smoothed over the stones at some point had worn off, leaving some of the stonework open. Lelouch took a cautious step forward, walking to the side so he could see another side of the tower as he advanced, paying close attention to the vines that curled their way up to the top. Everything was adding up to show that this tower had long been abandoned and forgotten.

Lelouch straightened up from his almost crouch, walking to the base of the tower to begin to circle it, keeping close to the stone itself. What came to mind immediately was whether he could get in or not, because he had seen no sign of a door. If someone had gone through the trouble of building a tower, there would have to be a door. He circled the base again without any luck, Lelouch frowning and coming to stop. No one would just build a tower without a door; it was sheer stupidity to do so.

He made another circuit of the tower, this time carefully looking over the stones, aware that he was getting soaked by the rain. Lelouch shoved his bangs out of his eyes again, coming to a stop as he spotted something hidden by the vines. He reached forward to push them away, staring at the walled up space that had once been the entrance of the tower.

Lelouch frowned and reached out to touch the stones, noticing the way they had been shoved in without mortar to keep them in place and yet they still fit well. The fact that no mortar had been used as well as the fact that these stones were not as weathered meant that this had not been part of the original plan of the tower. And, for a moment, Lelouch was tempted to tear down the wall and see what was inside, but he restrained himself. If this entrance was blocked, the others could be too. Obviously someone didn't want people getting in…or something getting out.

He took a few steps back, staring up through the pouring rain at the top of the tower. From the little he got from the network that his uncle had created, Nunnally was being kept far away from people, far away from where she couldn't see their uncle organizing fights and assassinations to wipe out all he thought unworthy of the crown. And he had systematically been working his way through the Areas as directed by the information he got out of them with his Geass. He had been led to Nippon and the information he had gotten from the few people he had captured confirmed it. Nunnally was here somewhere, hidden away from the rest of the world.

He shivered, not sure if it was from the rain or the slow accounting of the facts. It was logical to assume that the tower was sealed up to prevent someone from escaping, a countermeasure for an unlikely event. If a prisoner was told that there was no escape and kept well, they would never look for one; and there was no doubt that Nunnally was a prisoner. And the placement of the tower, in the woods away from the last vestiges of civilization that Clovis' castle had provided would be perfect. Any further and it would be a chore to make sure that Nunnally was kept in good health.

Then again, he could be manipulating the facts to come to the conclusion that he wanted. Even then, it would be remiss of him to walk away from this chance to see if this was where they were hiding his younger sister.

Lelouch nodded to himself, circling around the tower again until he found a spot that would be easy to climb up, suddenly wishing that he had Suzaku here. His knight would be able to climb up the tower and see if she was up there in no time. But he was on his own, weighed down with chainmail and soaking wet in the rain. Hopefully the latter would be enough to encourage him to climb faster, even if it only was to see what was up there. If all else failed, it would be a useful shelter for the night and for further Black Knights operations, once the stones in the doorway had been removed.

He checked that his knife was still in place before sighing and staring up at the window above him. Lelouch rolled his shoulders and reached out to grab the vines, getting a good grip before sticking his left foot into a crack in the stone. When he was sure his position was secure, he began to climb, picking his way slowly over the wall; it would only take one mistake to send him plummeting to the ground with the extra weight that he was carrying.

To his surprise, he managed to get one-third of the way up the tower easily. It was around the halfway point that he started struggling.

Lelouch gritted his teeth and forced himself onwards, constantly reminding himself that he would just get sick if he stayed out here too much longer, and then he would be useless for weeks. That was leaving out the panic that Suzaku was sure to get into when he realized what had happened. He paused for a break, carefully bracing himself so that he could take one hand away from the vine at a time to wipe them dry. When he was sure of himself again, he started to climb, gasping for breath now.

His injury started to complain, all the muscles along that side throbbing as he tried to compensate, only to feel something beginning to tear. The stitches were probably coming undone, which would do him no good since he couldn't even get his chainmail off to change the bandage and fix the damage. Lelouch shifted in place, glancing down at his side, part of his expecting to see the telltale blood stain. But there was nothing, and that was enough for him to keep moving. Besides, he was almost there, just a few more feet before he had to haul himself onto the window ledge.

Those few feet were probably the longest in Lelouch's life, seeming to loom ahead of him, stretching on forever. But he managed, with much panting and cursing, to clamber up to the window ledge and perch on it, leaning back against the shutters of the window as he tried to get his breath back. He gave an exhausted smile as he felt one of the shutters give way behind his back, glad that there was a way in after all. He wouldn't have been able to make it back down without falling at this point.

He took one last deep breath before turning and pushing the shutters in, squeezing through the large window and stepping into the circular room at the top of the tower. He remained in an awkward crouch for a moment before straightening up, concerned at how little the light from the window really illuminated. Lelouch walked to the end of the strip of light, turning in place before standing still and letting his eyes adjust.

There was no one there, Lelouch giving a disappointed sigh before carefully placing the illusion back over his left eye again. He hadn't realized how much he had hoped that he would find Nunnally here, especially after all this time looking for her. Too caught up in his disappointment, Lelouch stepped to the right before his vision had properly adjusted to the illusion again, stepping into the darkness. He realized his mistake a second too late, going still to try and give his vision time to adjust again only to hear a soft intake of breath. Lelouch turned to face the sound, his hand going for his knife. The other person was faster.

He heard a soft, feminine grunt before something solid impacted with the side of his head. Lelouch lost his balance, falling to the side and knocking the other side of his head against the hard floor of the tower. He groaned, trying to push himself up only to slump against the floor as his vision swam. He pressed his head against the cool floor, trying to fight back the blackness at the edge of his vision before giving up and relaxing, slipping into unconsciousness.

* * *

Suzaku looked up as he saw Kallen crossing the courtyard, ignoring Lancelot's continued attempts to remove all of the fragments of hay from his hair. The leader of Zero's elite guard smirked at him, leaning against the side of the stable and staring at the two horses that Suzaku was standing by. "I thought he ordered you to-"

"Change in plan." Suzaku swallowed, mentally cursing himself for his anger the night before. He shouldn't have stayed, just returned long enough to be sure that everything was running smoothly before resupplying and riding off. It was Lelouch he was dealing with, most physical tasks were far beyond him, and he had thought that he could just leave Lelouch to survive on his own. His friend was probably still probably trying to catch food. He glanced up at the sky, squinting through the rain. "I'm going after Zero. After all, I would just get in the way."

He saw Kallen duck her head, ignoring her as he swung up onto Lancelot. "I'm Zero's knight and nothing more. You, Ohgi and Todoh are his commanders; you know what you are doing."

She just nodded, walking over to where Arthur was hitched and untying him, leading the horse over to him. "Bring him back safe."

Suzaku nodded, getting a good hold on Arthur's lead and nudging Lancelot forward. The grey horse snorted but followed his command, Suzaku glad that Arthur seemed subdued from the combination of the heavy rain and the supplies that he and piled on the horse. Hopefully that would be enough to keep Arthur from trying to kill him.

They walked through the gates and out onto the road, Suzaku looking around at the Black Knights who had been unlucky enough to camp outside. He felt their gazes on his back as he passed, knowing that they recognized him and the horse he led. Rumors would be spreading in no time about the departure of Zero's knight leading Zero's horse, rumors that could send this whole venture tumbling down. Suzaku winced and kicked Lancelot into a canter, feeling the charger slip as it tried to gain his balance, settling into a steady pace quickly.

He relaxed with the change, allowing himself to rock slightly with the charger's strides. It was so easy to just focus on his horse and forget about what he was doing out in the rain. Suzaku frowned, pulling on Arthur's leading rein to keep the black horse beside Lancelot. Then again, he needed to figure out where he could find his way down that cliff face to get to Lelouch.

With that in mind, Suzaku directed the two horses towards the forest, relieved that they were out of the driving rain for the most part. He shook his hair back from his eyes, peering through the dim forest. Hopefully following the cliff would lead him to where it flattened out. He wasn't originally from this part of Nippon so he didn't know the land as well, but that was really no excuse. Lelouch wasn't even from Nippon and he knew the land as well as the native inhabitants. Then again, Suzaku would be the last person to compare himself to Lelouch; his friend was genius, he was just a soldier.

And he hoped that Lelouch hadn't gotten himself into trouble, the Black Knights needed him alive. To hear that Zero had died would be a blow to the rebellion and all the revolutionary movements that were taking place in the Areas. And, while Suzaku didn't like the way Lelouch was liberating them, he had to admit that it was effective and taking place at the right time. With the empire on the edge of collapse with their emperor dying and no heir, there wasn't much to be done, especially with all of the attention turned inward. If anything, the reaction would be to withdraw forces to strengthen the heart of the empire. And Lelouch was taking advantage of that.

With everything going his way and a loyal group of followers, Lelouch really had no need to claim Suzaku as his knight or even keep him around, but he did. It was probably just a nod to their long friendship together and nothing more. Or it was because…

Suzaku ducked his head and sighed, allowing Lancelot to break from the canter into a trot, listening to the sound of the horses catching their breath and the thud of their hooves on the ground. He didn't have to think about it anymore, he just had to ride. It was far too easy to shift his focus from Lelouch and the problems that he caused around him, to just let his mind go blank. He almost missed losing his safe state of mind when he glanced over, staring a little too long at the helmet that Lelouch used, turning away quickly.

He didn't want to remember what he had become, a long fall from his former lofty position of a knight to a royal princess to a knight of a hated man. But even that wasn't the cause of his restlessness; he didn't mind spending his days with Lelouch. It still didn't overcome the sense of failure that hung over him, that the two that he had promised to protect had been hurt and died. It was enough to make him want to just give up, although he didn't want to just give up his life for nothing, he wanted it to be for something.

That was the real reason that he stayed with the Black Knights, the reason that even Lelouch didn't know about.

Suzaku Kururugi, after all of his failures, just wanted to die.

* * *

Nunnally bit her lip as she circled around the body of the young man that was splayed out on the floor, clutching her kettle close. Just moments ago he had tried to move so she wanted to be sure that he was truly unconscious before leaning over him. Even with her Geass, its effect was only to encourage people to be protective of her, it could always fail. It was a defensive Geass, one that she had no control of, instead of an offensive one.

She remained in the shadows until she was sure that the man wasn't going to move, padding carefully over to the body and poking it. To her relief, the man didn't respond, Nunnally rocking back onto her heels with a long sigh. After the news that she had gotten yesterday from her uncle had put her on edge, to the point where she was expecting Zero to come climbing into her window and kill her for being part of the royal family.

Instead she had just gotten this young man, Nunnally frowning before moving around to where she could see his face. She was sure that she had seen something red in his left eye, like when her uncle was using his Geass. But there was nothing now, even when she carefully lifted the lid of that eye. All she got was a groan for her efforts and a feeble stir from the man, only to have him slump again.

Relieved, Nunnally sat on the floor, still cradling her kettle as she tried to come up with a plan. Her uncle wouldn't be back for a while, which meant that she was alone with this strange man. And her victim would be waking up soon, that was the problem that she had to focus on. The smart thing to do would be to restrain him in case he was here to kill her, she could always apologize later.

She set the kettle to one side, finding a chair and dragging it closer. She didn't quite know the limitations of the spell that allowed her to walk, only that it allowed her that and the ability to lift things, but she had never tried lifting something heavier than herself. Nunnally took one more glance at the young man before hurrying off to find something to tie him to the chair with, having to make due with the rope that her uncle used to climb up the tower when he visited.

Nunnally took a deep breath before rolling the young man over to his back, freezing when his eyes flickered open for a moment. She stared down at him, not sure even he was even aware that she was there. Nunnally jumped as he looked over to her, surprised when he just smiled and let his eyes fall shut, not sure of how to take that reaction. She shivered before kneeling down again, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him up into a sitting position to readjust her hold.

Now came the hard part, lifting him from the ground and into the chair. Nunnally closed her eyes and heaved, expecting the spell that kept her on her feet to give at any moment. To her surprise, she managed to pull the young man closer to the chair, splaying his torso over the seat. Nunnally pinned him in place, taking a moment to gather herself before lifting him again so he was actually sitting in the chair. To keep him from falling, she had to press herself against his chest, shivering at how close she was getting to this man. Her uncle would have a fit if he found out.

Blindly, she reached for the rope, looping it through the back of the chair and pulling it tight, repeating the procedure once more to make sure that he remained upright before turning her attention to his hands. With only one length of rope, she had to be creative.

It took a few tries and different methods before Nunnally settled on the combination of loops that would keep her victim in place. She brushed her skirt off as she stood up, staring at the man. His head and lolled to one side while she had been working, Nunnally's eyes widening as she got her first look at the man; before she had been too busy worrying about her safety to notice.

The first thing that she focused on was his chainmail, Nunnally gasping and slapping a hand over her mouth and backing away. She had just attacked a knight, the thought making her want to laugh. A defenseless girl stuck in a tower had managed to knock out her rescuer; then again, she didn't want to be rescued. She would love a respite from the same dull schedule, but not to be rescued. Still, the first visitor that wasn't her uncle was a knight, she was lucky in some respect.

Other than the chainmail, there was nothing really remarkable about the young man. He was pale, skinny, dangerously so, and lanky with black hair. Nunnally tipped her head to the side, giving her victim a small smile before turning away, trying to find something else to busy herself with. It might be a while before the man woke up, especially seeing as he hit his head on the floor on the way down.

Nunnally flinched, turning back to stared at the young man before walking back over, gently running her fingers over his head to search for any cut or bump. She froze when she felt a bump from where she had hit him with the kettle, running her fingers over it in a silent apology before backing away. He would probably wake up with a horrible headache. Still, that was something to keep him from attacking her if he saw the need.

She glanced down, staring at the knife by his side, hesitating before taking it from him, turning the blade over in her hands before walking over to set it down on her stool. For now, she would keep a hold of it.

Nunnally wiped her hands on her skirt again before walking away, her hands fisting in the fabric as she shivered. Now that she had the situation under control, she didn't know what to do. Obviously, she had to ask if the man meant her any harm and if he needed her help, but he couldn't stay. Her uncle would return and, if he saw the man, he would kill him. But how could she be sure that this man wouldn't talk about her location. Would the next visitor be Zero himself, coming to kill her?

Her gaze strayed up to the candles on the shelf, smiling as she walked over to them, having to stand up on her tip toes to reach them now. She picked up her brother's candle, cradling it in her hands, using it to steady herself. She could always promise to let him go if he didn't talk about where he had found her, but V.V. had always said that people couldn't be trusted.

She leaned back against the wall, staring at the candle and trying to figure out what to do with her unexpected guest, but her thoughts just kept circling around to the same conclusions. For a moment, she wished that her uncle was here with her, only to shake that thought out her head. The man would have been dead by now, her uncle believed in keeping her hidden from the world.

There was another problem that the man presented. While she was alone or with someone that she trusted, her Geass wouldn't activate. But it was on now, working to protect her, she could tell from the faint burning in her left eye. The sign would never be completely visible in her eye, her uncle called that strange occurance her glorious defect, but she could still feel it working. Nunnally reached up to press a hand against her eye, shaking her head to try and get rid of the feeling.

This was the reason that her uncle kept her locked up and made sure that he was the only one to see her. If she used her Geass she would be as tainted as the rest of the family, the power slowly twisting her mind until she couldn't think of anything but bloodshed. And then, it would turn on her too, just like it had turned on her father and the oldest of her half brothers and sisters. She had to stay sane to be able to save Britannia after her father died and Schneizel went insane from the power. She was the one who was going to complete their side of the contract with the witch who had given them this curse so that no one would be given the same curse.

After that, she didn't know what she was going to go with her Geass; she only hoped that V.V. would have a plan to get rid of that forever as well. She didn't want to be known as the benevolent empress who ended up turning on her people, not after all of the things that she was going to do for them. If Zero didn't beat her to the punch, she was going to free the remaining Areas and try to come up with a treaty that would satisfy all of them.

Nunnally heard a groan from her prisoner, turning quickly and watching as he shifted in his seat, looking like he was waking up. She swallowed nervously before leaning over to set the candle on the stool right next to the knife, pulling the stool with her. She didn't know how to use the knife and she had no intention of using it unless things got too out of hand, she just wanted the threat of the knife to be there.

She watched the man tense, his expression contorting into something akin to pain. Nunnally leaned forward as she heard him whimper, her first instinct to rush over to comfort him, but she held herself back. The urge to go to him got harder to suppress the longer she watched him, unable to make out the words that he was muttering as he struggled back into consciousness. She was tempted to get her kettle again, freezing in place when she heard the man give a pained gasp.

"Nunnally!"

She tensed at the sound of her name, staring at the man. He was still unconscious, much to her relief, but that didn't explain how he knew her name. Perhaps he was one of her uncle's men; the ones who were watching out for him and helping him hide from the emperor. Then again, he could be one of her half brothers, but Nunnally was sure that all of them save for Szhneizel and Odysseus were dead. No one else even knew she was alive; her kidnappers had made sure of that before her uncle had saved her.

Her prisoner quieted slumping against his bindings. Nunnally swallowed harshly before taking a step forward, watching as he begun to stir. The young man suddenly tensed, Nunnally guessing that he had opened his eyes. She stood completely still as he raised his head slowly, obviously taking in the room and searching for ways out. She tipped her head to the side, tensing up when he finally looked at her, waiting for him to speak.

* * *

For a while, it was all blissfully black. Emptiness Lelouch could handle, the blackness of unconsciousness he was fine with it because he was granted it all too little. It was when the throbbing in his side started up again and the peaceful blackness lifted to reveal familiar stone walls that he began to panic. He had seen these scenes too many times, reliving them over and over in his sleep and always, _always_ feeling helpless.

 _He's pressed up against the stone wall, his side throbbing, although this time it's only in one specific spot. He's clutching at his side, trying to stand and sobbing, because he's five years old again and his mother has just been murdered. And now they're trying to take his sister away from him._

 _"Bring her back!" He's pushing away from the wall, staggering towards the shadowy figures in the distance. He gives a pained sob as they keep moving further away no matter how fast he moves. "Give her back! She doesn't belong to you!"_

 _Then his uncle laughs, tosses back his head and laughs before turning and walking away, each stride carrying him impossibly far. Lelouch grits his teeth and tried to run, only to get nowhere. He might as well be running in place. He reached out, like he could grab at his uncle's clothes, but manages to get nothing. "No. Bring her back! Nunnally!"_

 _He falls against the wall again, this time unable to get up. He just has to watch as his uncle continues to walk away with his little sister, watch and prey that it doesn't become Euphy next._

 _Thankfully the darkness came back, Lelouch sighing in relief. He hated those moments when he lost all vestiges of control and could only watch. He hated the reminder that he was weak compared to other people._

He drifted in darkness for a while longer before it began to clear again, Lelouch ready for it to become another nightmare. Instead he groaned, slowly opening his eyes and staring down at his knees, not really registering anything. His side still throbbed from his climb up the tower and he had another throbbing pain on the side of his head, probably from where he had gotten hit when he had let his guard down. He flinched at the memory before taking a deep breath and beginning to look around, trying to make it seem as if he was still unconscious.

Lelouch glanced over at his hands, his eyes widening a fraction when he saw that he was tied to a chair, shifting slightly to accommodate his movements. If he was tied to a chair, it meant that the person who had hit him couldn't be far away, so there was no real point in still pretending to be out of it. Instead, he focused on looking around the room again, glad that it he could see a little better.

The room was practically bare, just a few pieces of furniture shoved against the whitewashed walls and shelves scattered around. He could see a little alcove where he assumed there was a kitchen and pantry, hidden under a set of stairs that went up to the second floor. Lelouch lifted his head a bit so he could see where the stairs went, glancing at the landing before turning his attention to his attacker as the woman cleared her throat.

He narrowed his eyes, mouth open to deliver his demands only to come to a stop, staring at the woman who had attacked him. She stared back at him, fiddling with her skirt. Lelouch raised an eyebrow before sitting back in his seat; twisting a bit to test the knots before sinking back, glaring at the young woman.

She shifted nervously for a bit more before glancing at him, preferring to speak to the wall. "Are you going to hurt me?"

Lelouch glanced down at the rope, giving it another tug only to determine that he wasn't getting out. "I don't intend to."

"You had a knife."

"For my own protection." He glanced at the stool that the girl was standing beside, staring at his knife. "And you seem to have the upper hand now."

"Oh, yes. I guess so." The girl laughed nervously to herself, glancing at the stool, but her gaze lingered on the candle that was sitting beside the knife. Lelouch shifted in his seat, trying to read the name that was carved on it, distracted with she spoke again. "I'm sorry…for hitting you on the head."

Lelouch gave a harsh bark of laughter. "It's expected. I snuck through your window."

"You did." She smiled, carefully picking up the items off of the stool, setting the knife on the floor but keeping the candle in her hands as she sat down. The girl turned the candle in her hands, the carved letters moving out of Lelouch's line of sight. "A-are you a knight?"

He snorted and shook his head. "No."

He couldn't lie about that, he had never even thought about it, his mind rebelled against that falsehood. He would never say anything to revoke Suzaku's status as his knight because it was where his friend belonged; there was no question about that.

The girl nodded slowly, turning the candle again. "Oh, I thought that…because of the chainmail… I'm sorry."

Lelouch just shrugged, leaning back in the chair, flinching as the throbbing in his head got worse. He noticed that the girl winced as well, her hands tightening around the candle for a moment. "I'm…I'm sorry for hitting you that hard."

"Self defense."

"Still…" She bit her lip, glancing around the room they were in. "I'll untie you…if you promise not to hurt me."

"You trust me so easily." Lelouch raised and eyebrow as she nodded. "You don't even know me."

"I have…reason to believe that you won't want to hurt me."

"Reason enough?" She hesitated long enough to ensure Lelouch that the answer was no, but she shifted forward on her stool anyway.

"I just…don't think you will. You climbed up here and didn't have your knife out."

"I didn't expect anyone to be up here." Besides, his Geass was often more of an effective weapon than a knife; especially with his lack of physical strength. "That means nothing."

The girl lapsed back into silence, still turning the candle in her hands. Lelouch watched its progress, picking out letters as the came around. L-E-L-O-

"If I gave you my name and you gave me yours…" He looked back up at the girl, watching her nod to herself. "I think that would be enough."

Lelouch shook his head and leaned back in his seat, watching the girl set the candle to one side before standing up. "I am Nunnally vi Britannia- Are you alright?"

He was partially aware that he had choked on a quick intake of breath that that name, staring at the girl with wide eyes. It couldn't be, not after all his years of searching, it couldn't be this easy. It was the first place that he had looked and she was staring right at him. But perhaps it was him just wanting this to be Nunnally, just falling for a trap. He stared at her, taking in her appearance and trying to convince himself that she couldn't be real, that she was just a fake.

"Of course I'm real!" Lelouch jumped at her shout, belatedly realizing that he had spoke out loud. She glared at him before straightening up. "My mother was Marianne vi Britannia, a consort to his majesty the emperor. My brother was…" She trailed off, glancing down at the candle in her hands before continuing in a softer voice. "I have the proof here, if you absolutely have to see it. My uncle says I'll need it for when I go back to take over the throne after my father dies."

Lelouch stared at her, shaking his head slowly. She just smiled and knelt down to untie him, placing the candle to one side. "It's alright; I didn't expect you to believe it."

He waited until the rope was loose to lunge forward and pull her into a hug, ignoring her frightened shout. It didn't matter; he had found his little sister. Sure there was a chance that it was still the wrong person, but there was too much right about this girl for him to entertain that thought for long. She had the royal eyes, the purple color that was almost a guarantee with their family, the same blonde hair that their father had when he was younger and she had the same spark that their mother had, that same bit of spunk that was nearly always hidden behind a smile. "Nunnally…"

"E-excuse me, but…"

He ignored her, pressing his forehead against her shoulder and fighting back the sob that was working its way up his throat. He had lost so many people that were close to him in his life; his mother, Kaguya and Euphy. And he had managed to lose all but Suzaku's tolerance of him. The Black Knights were loyal followers of Zero, but not Lelouch; he had heard his name cursed in the camp with the rest of the royals. They would never really replace his family and friends. Even C.C. had become distant now that he was working on fulfilling his end of the contract with her. But now, he had found her.

"I found you."

"Please, let go." Lelouch tensed at those words, carefully unwrapping his arms from her to stare at Nunnally. She was scared, her eyes wide as she stared at him. That wasn't the reaction that he had been hoping to get, had been dreaming to get. He sighed and rocked back so he was sitting on the floor, preferring to stare at it instead of Nunnally. He started when she reached out to touch his cheek, gently brushing her fingers along his cheek to wipe away tears that he hadn't known here there with a frown. "Who are you?"

He looked at the candle that had his named carved in it, shifting slightly to look at the shelf with other candles arranged on it, all of them bearing the name of one of their dead family members. He looked away quickly when he saw that Clovis and Euphemia were represented there as well. To her, he was as dead as the rest of them, the missing prince that no one seemed willing to look for. Lelouch almost laughed at that, the missing prince searching for the missing princess.

Lelouch glanced at her before turning his gaze away, ready to come up with some kind of excuse. His eyes widened in surprise when Nunnally reached out to gently turn his gaze towards her, her other hand trembling as she pushed his bangs out of his face and away from his eyes. Lelouch shut his eyes for a moment, opening them again when her fingers were well away from them, meeting Nunnally's gaze steadily.

She gasped, her fingers trembling on his cheeks as she leaned closer. "They're purple."

Lelouch relaxed at that, nodding his head. "Yes."

This was his one bit of proof that he could offer to his identity, the purple eyes of the royal line. No matter what, there was always a hint of purple in the eyes of the rulers, even if it was only in the right light. The people of Britannia joked about it, saying that only the royal family could wear purple, because the color never appeared among the people.

He felt Nunnally relax, cautiously lifting his hand to rest it on top of hers. She sniffed, blinking back tears before shaking her head. "So…which one are you?"

Lelouch chuckled at that, a faint smile appearing on his face. "Lelouch."

"L-Lelouch."

"Yes."

"They said you where dead."

He shook his head, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "They said that about you too."

Nunnally gave a soft laugh before she broke into sobs, throwing herself into Lelouch's arms and holding him close. "U-uncle said that you had died! He said that the people who took me had killed you." Lelouch stiffened at that, Nunnally missing the action. "He said that you had tried to defend me and that you had been dragged along. And they…they killed you!"

He was about to correct her on that when she looked up at him with a watery smile. "How did you get away?"

Lelouch stared at her before shrugging. He would tell her the truth soon, even this lie of omission hurting. For now this was enough. He sighed and sat up a bit more, Nunnally taking that as the signal to pull away, wiping her eyes on her sleeve but still smiling. "You hungry?"

"Starving."

"Good." Nunnally scrambled to her feet. "Stay there and I'll get something." She froze, seeming to remember something. "W-where's the rest of your stuff?"

Lelouch glanced toward the window. "In the cave."

"Alright." She gave him a smile before rushing off, Lelouch watching her and leaning back onto his hands, shaking his head. That smile alone was worth the thirteen years of pain it had taken to find it.


	5. A Request

** Chapter Four: A Request **

Lelouch shivered, rewrapping the bandage around his wound as quickly as possible before pulling his shirt back on. He straightened up slowly; glad when the wound didn't protest the motion. He glanced down at the bandage, checking to see if it had started bleeding again before turning around and picking up the two rabbits he had managed to catch, slinging them over his shoulder and walking back to the cave and the tower.

He had given up on his pitfall trap two days into his stay with Nunnally after making no progress on it, so he had settled for badly made snares. Still, they were enough for him to help keep them fed, especially with Nunnally having to remain behind in the tower.

He frowned at the thought. She still hadn't told him exactly why though, just that their uncle could return at any minute and she couldn't be gone. Lelouch shrugged, he would get the real reason out eventually, but he was willing to be patient. After all, he had found his sister and found a place to stay while he waited for Suzaku. Some part of him still said that he should be moving on to meet the knight halfway, but he couldn't bear to leave his sister so soon after finding her.

Lelouch ducked through the vines, smiling as he started at the tower, speeding up to cross the distance. He could already see Nunnally watching him, raising one hand to wave. She repeated the motion, shoving the rope out of the window for him to use to climb up. Lelouch ducked his head at the thought of another climb up; he hated scaling the tower and, more than once, just wanted to knock down the block in the door. But that idea was met with protests from Nunnally with the same excuse; that her uncle would notice.

His hand tightened on the rope, Lelouch grunting as he began to scale the tower, making slow progress. After nearly a week here, he thought he would have been better at this, but he was still struggling. He gritted his teeth, scrambling up onto the ledge of the window, handing Nunnally the rabbits before pulling the rest of the rope up with him and slipping into the room.

He couldn't help the smile that came to his face when he heard her humming to herself as she worked. He dropped the coiled rope in its accustomed spot before settling down in the chair, closing his eyes and listening to Nunnally sing to herself under her breath. It was almost like when he was younger and living with C.C. Kaguya would be off by herself in one corner singing to herself while he and Suzaku argued over whatever they had disagreed on for that day. They would only get a few minutes to argue before Kaguya would drag them off to play with her.

The smile disappeared from his face, Lelouch opening his eyes and sitting up. He couldn't go back to that time, it was far behind him. He looked up at Nunnally again before ducking his head and running his hands through his hair. He had other things to worry about, like the Black Knights. They couldn't be without Zero for much longer and, even as contended as he felt, he was starting to feel the prickles of boredom, the need to do something with himself before he went insane. But he didn't want to leave Nunnally, not after he had found her, which just left him needing to convince her to come with him. The other option he had didn't appeal to him in the least, he couldn't just leave Nunnally here with their uncle.

"Lelouch?" He looked up abruptly at the sound of his sister's voice, putting on a smile as she walked over to him, keeling to press a hand to his cheek. "What's wrong?"

He shook his head, clearing his throat before looking up at her. "I can't stay."

"What?"

He hated the stricken look on her face. "Nunnally, I can-"

"Nunnally!" Lelouch froze at the unfamiliar voice, Nunnally reacting with a gasp. He looked over at her, surprised at the fear in her eyes. She looked back at him before reaching down to grab his wrist before pulling him up.

"It's Uncle V.V." Lelouch narrowed his eyes, Nunnally tugging him over to the wardrobe and opening the door. "Please, stay in here and be quiet. I don't want him to find you, he'll kill you."

"He can try."

"Lelouch, please." The desperate look in her eyes was enough to get him nod, Nunnally heaving a sigh of relief before letting go of him. "Stay still and quiet. And don't come out until I come and get you."

He nodded again before climbing into the wardrobe and shutting the door partially. He would do as Nunnally said, but only until V.V. threatened her, then he would defend his sister. Lelouch reached up and pulled the illusion away from his eye, pulling out his knife as he waited for his vision to clear. He was ready by the time that V.V. was scrambling into the room.

V.V. looked around the room impassively, setting down his bags before claiming the chair. Nunnally bustled around the room, offering him food and drink until he waved her away, just like he was ordering a servant around. Lelouch clenched his free hand into a fist, sucking in a quick breath. Nunnally would not be treated like this, like she was less than nothing.

"Uncle, did you bring any news?"

V.V. stared at her incredulously for a while before tipping his head down. Nunnally seemed to take that for an answer, pulling her stool up so she could sit in front of V.V. Their uncle made her wait for a moment, clearing his throat as he pushed the bag he had brought towards her. "Here, food enough to last you a few weeks added to what I left last time."

Lelouch winced at that, knowing that Nunnally had little left from her supply because she had been feeding him as well, part of the reason he had started to go hunting for her. If V.V. was just going to leave her, then he would have to stay to make sure that she didn't starve.

"Where are you going?"

"To look for another place to keep you. Zero has taken over this Area like I guessed he would." Lelouch smiled at that, his feeling of victory disappearing as V.V. leaned back in the chair and shrugged. "With the shock of Clovis' death, his troops didn't know what to do. The Black Knights were too fast and most of the native people joined with them. All of those that didn't surrender are being held, probably for Zero to torment to death."

Nunnally's gasp covered up his low curse, Lelouch wanting nothing more than to jump out and stab his uncle through the heart. What lies had he been feeding Nunnally all of these years? Of course he would never torture prisoners to death, because he had rescued some of his own that had undergone the treatment and, frankly, it sickened him.

"Torture?"

"Yes." V.V. pressed his fingers together. "But what else can we expect from Zero? It is, after all, a small price to be paid for the freedom of those people."

"But it's not right."

"It's the way of the world, Nunnally. Either way, Nippon is free and Zero is too close for comfort. I had to sneak around his knight on the way here." Lelouch's eyes widened at that. Suzaku was close, which meant that he had a way out of here, Nunnally too. "Since I'll be gone, would you like me to take those candles to be lit for… Where's Lelouch's?"

He saw Nunnally freeze for a moment, hesitating a bit too long before she spoke up. "Oh, it must have been pushed further back. Clovis and Euphemia's candles were put up there to dry and I pushed the others back so they wouldn't stick together."

V.V. stared at her for a moment before nodding, Lelouch quietly letting out the breath that he had been holding. "Still, my offer still stands to take them to a village for Remembrance Day."

"No. I think I'll just do it here. Unless you want to take your brother's-"

"I'm afraid I don't have time." V.V. stood up from the chair, walking back over to the window and sliding out onto the ledge. "Try to keep yourself busy. I'll have a man come by in a week's time to drop off more food. You know the password."

"Yes." Nunnally nodded and walked over to the window, Lelouch tensing as he watched her lean out over. It seemed like forever had passed before Nunnally waved goodbye and untied the rope, coiling it as she walked towards the center of the room. "Lelouch? You can come out now."

Lelouch hesitated a moment more, placing the illusion back over his eye before slipping out of the wardrobe. He felt Nunnally's gaze on the knife that he had in his hand, Lelouch sticking the weapon back in his belt before walking over to the dark corner where he had brought all of his stuff. He heard her walk up behind him, Lelouch sighing and turning around to look at her, watching as Nunnally wrapped her arms around herself. "Y-you said you were leaving."

He nodded. "I don't want to."

"Then don't."

"I have…things I have to see to." He couldn't meet her eyes as he said that, Lelouch closing his eyes for a moment before taking a deep breath and smiling at her. "Why don't you come with me?"

Nunnally's eyes widened at the question before she turned away, shaking her head. "I can't. I have to stay here and safe. There are people out there who will try and kill me."

"I'll keep you safe."

"I can't leave the tower."

Lelouch shook his head. "You can't stay here forever; it's not safe, even with Uncle moving you when he feels that you are in danger."

"You don't understand."

He tensed at that, his eyes narrowing before he got a hold of his temper. He wouldn't lash out at Nunnally. Lelouch took a deep breath before smiling and walking forward. "Then explain it to me."

Nunnally shivered before ducking her head. "The Geass…I'm afraid of it. Uncle says that, if I go out around the people and my Geass activates…there were others that went insane because of their Geass and I don't want that to happen to me."

"Your Geass?"

She nodded miserably. "It makes people want to protect me, but there's never any visible sign of it, it just feels weird in my eye. But it never activates unless there are people that I feel unsafe around, like when you first got here."

Lelouch stared at her before wrapping his arms around her in a hug, holding her close as she trembled. He stared at the wall, hating his uncle even more for this. Of course Nunnally would be afraid of her Geass, it was barely in control. Of course, there was a smaller chance of her Geass harming people when it did get out of her control like his would, but there was still some measure of safety that he felt because he knew how to use it. Nunnally didn't have that, she was just a slave to it, and that frightened her. "It's alright, Nunnally."

"No it's not." She pushed him away. "I could hurt you! Something could happen to you because of this curse."

He raised an eyebrow at her word choice, sighing before reaching up towards his left eye. He saw Nunnally shrink back before his vision went unfocused as he peeled the illusion away, immediately averting his gaze to stare at the wall. To his surprise, Nunnally shuffled closer to peer at his left eye, gasping and stumbling back.

"You're using it now!"

"No."

"Then," her face screwed up in concentration, "it doesn't turn off."

"Not anymore." Lelouch glanced at her before averting his gaze again. After a moment more, he crafted a new illusion to fit over his left eye, blinking before looking over at Nunnally. "But I can still control it."

"H-how?"

"I know someone. She can help you and you'll be safe there." Lelouch watched her consider the idea before she slumped, Lelouch confused by her response. "Nunnally?"

"I…I've never left the tower before because, out there, I can't walk." His mouth dropped open in shock, Nunnally continuing on in her soft tone of voice. "Our kidnappers, they did something to my hip after you escaped so I couldn't follow. There's magic here that allows me to walk but…"

She just shrugged, Lelouch stumbling back a step until he was leaning on the wall, aware that he was trembling. Their uncle had hurt her; he had hurt Nunnally to make sure that she wouldn't escape and then had lied to her about everything that had happened. Lelouch gritted his teeth, slamming his fist into the wall before he got control of his temper.

He straightened up, ignoring the surprised look on Nunnally's face. Of course she wouldn't understand his anger because he hadn't taken the time to explain that she had been kidnapped by the one person that she had trusted before he had come along. And he hadn't come up with a suitable story to explain their real history without revealing that he was Zero, something that he didn't want to do too soon, especially with Nunnally's anger towards the symbol. Still, that was something that he didn't want to leave up to C.C. when he left Nunnally with her for a while, just long enough for him to finish up his business in Nippon.

Lelouch rubbed his forehead before smiling again, painfully aware of how fake it felt, but Nunnally fell for it. "It doesn't matter. I'll even carry you if I have to."

She laughed at that. "I just might make you fall over. You're too skinny."

Lelouch smiled and rolled his eyes. "Am not."

"You are." She poked his side, Lelouch jumping away from her finger with a yelp of surprise. She didn't even flinch away from the mock glare that he gave her. "Too skinny."

He waved her away, turning around to get his stuff with a smirk, listening to Nunnally laugh before she rushed up to where her room was. Lelouch straightened up, staying crouched on the ground as he heard her rushing around her room to gather up her stuff. He stood up again when she came down the stairs, holding a bag like the one that V.V. had left, quickly packing what little personal belongings she had before turning to the food bag that their uncle had just left.

Lelouch left Nunnally to her packing, walking over to the shelf with the candles. "Nunnally, these too?"

"What?" She came to a stop, staring at them and blushing. "Oh…well…"

"Remembrance Day is coming up, and we could stop at a village to celebrate. If you want."

Nunnally gasped before nodding, rushing over and nearly knocking Lelouch over from the force of her hug. She giggled before bounding away, returning with her bag of belongings and carefully packing the candles in, Lelouch offering to take a few in his saddlebags to make them all fit. Suzaku was going to have a fit when he saw this, but it was necessary.

He set up the rope as Nunnally made sure that she had gotten everything that she needed, using it to lower down their bags. He hoped that Suzaku was close by, because he would be carrying Nunnally and their bags and he wasn't sure how long his stamina would hold up. Of course, he could always put on his armor and then carry Nunnally. Lelouch shook his head at that, knowing that he would collapse much more quickly that way. That just left flagging Suzaku down and bringing him here.

Lelouch froze at that thought, glancing down to be sure that only his belongings had been lowered before swinging over the window. "Nunnally, I'll be back. I'm going to be bringing my friend to help."

She bit her lip and walked forward. "You promise."

"Yes. I promise." He smiled at her before clambering down the rope, leaving his belongings at the base of the tower before walking quickly towards the cave. Lelouch ducked through the vines, pausing on the side that led to the rest of the forest and listening carefully. When he was sure that no one was coming, Lelouch slipped out of the cave and began walking as fast as he could in the direction of the cliff, turning slightly when he reached the sheer drop. He knew that the nearest level plain that Suzaku could have gotten the horses down was in this direction.

If he was right, V.V. wouldn't have mentioned the knight unless he wanted to be sure that Nunnally would stay in the tower, which meant that Suzaku was within a day of this place. Lelouch stopped for a moment to get his bearings, turning in place before freezing at the sound of an annoyed voice. "Arthur…why me?"

"Suzaku!" He shouted out his friend's name before he could stop himself, Lelouch shaking his head and breaking into a run to cover the distance between them.

He caught sight of Lancelot before he saw Suzaku, his knight standing with his sword drawn. The sword was placed back in its scabbard as Lelouch slowed down, leaning over to catch his breath before straightening up. "You took your time."

"And you didn't manage to kill yourself."

"Your faith in me is that low?" Suzaku didn't answer, looking back at him before shrugging, throwing Arthur's reins to him. Lelouch fumbled the catch, hurriedly gathering up the reins before flinging them over his horse's head and swinging into the saddle. "Come on, I have to go back."

"Go back?" Suzaku groaned, Lelouch twisting in the saddle to look at him. "Lelouch, the Black Knights need Zero. Kallen and the others can only do so much…"

"It's not going to take too long." Lelouch couldn't help the smile that crossed his face. "I found her."

* * *

If Suzaku was honest with himself, this would have been the last place he would have looked for a princess, right in the path of the Black Knights. Then again, it was probably why Lelouch had found her. He sighed and resituated the bag on Lancelot's back, staring at the way the two horses were laden down. They had even had to pack their scanty pieces of armor, Lelouch not wanting the attention that two armored knights were sure to draw.

Suzaku rubbed his forehead to stave off the beginnings of a headache, looking up at a soft thump as the last packs where lowered, leaving Lancelot to pick them up. With the way things were balanced, these would probably have to go on Arthur. He sighed and walked over to the black charger, ignoring the snap of teeth close to his arm as he secured the pack. With the horses loaded up like this, they were going to take longer to get back, because they couldn't push for speed.

The headache threatened to overwhelm him, Suzaku wishing that he had taken the chance to punch Lelouch when he could, turning around at a shout from the tower. "Lowering her down!"

He froze at that, walking back to the base of the tower. Her? Who was her? Suzaku tipped his head back, watching Lelouch guide something out onto the ledge, talking to person the entire time before taking a step back.

Suzaku's eyes widened as he watched the girl carefully make her way down the rope, pausing at times to flinch and look back up at the window where Lelouch was. Then she would take a deep breath and continue on, Suzaku rushing to support her as she came down to the bottom, surprised when she nearly fell over despite his support. "Are you alright?"

She gave him a pained smile before sinking to the ground, taking a deep breath and pressing her fingers into the grass. "I'll be fine. I just…my hip…"

Suzaku swallowed and looked up, surprised to see Lelouch locking the window that they had just climbed out of before descending without the rope. He sighed and crossed his arms, knowing that it would take Lelouch a while to get down. But to his surprise, his friend managed to make it down faster than he expected, although not by much.

Lelouch wiped off his hands and looked at the horses before nodded. "Nunnally, you're going to ride with me first, alright?"

"Alright."

Suzaku felt his mouth drop open in shock as Lelouch picked the girl up and carried her over to the horse, helping her on before patting Arthur's neck. "Now, hold on, I'll get on as soon as we're out of the cave."

She nodded, clinging to the front of the saddle with one hand and tangling the other in Arthur's mane. Lelouch waited until she was ready before turning and leading Arthur back to the caves, Suzaku scrambling to catch up.

He led Lancelot up beside Arthur, giving the horse enough rein to duck his head as they entered the cave. "Nunnally?"

Lelouch nodded, gesturing up to the girl that was pressed against Arthur's neck. "Suzaku, my sister Nunnally vi Britannia. Nunnally, my friend and knight, Suzaku Kururugi."

Something in his stomach flipped when Lelouch called him his friend, followed immediately by disgust, although he didn't know who the disgust was aimed at. He hunched his shoulders a bit, forcing a smile on his face as he looked up at Nunnally. "It's a pleasure, my lady."

That got a giggle from Nunnally, the girl straightening up as they finally walked out into the sunlight. Suzaku took the moment to mount Lancelot while Lelouch clambered into the saddle. He waited until Lelouch had situated himself behind Nunnally, wrapping one arm around his sister's waist, before giving Lelouch a long look, waiting for the orders that were sure to come.

"We're going to C.C's."

Suzaku's eyes widened by he didn't question the order. Lelouch had always planned to take Nunnally to a safe place, and there was no place safer than where C.C. lived. He wanted to laugh at his own thought, that he felt safe close to a prince in exile and a witch, but it was the truth. And, better yet, having Nunnally safe would get Lelouch to focus on what was important, namely the rebellion. At the rate the Areas were falling, Lelouch would be able to sweep them all up neatly, and then they could just fade into the background.

He glanced over at Lelouch quickly before focusing on the trail ahead, wondering how he could expect Lelouch to just allow himself to stop. The prince was probably plotting a way to get himself on the throne now that he had Nunnally safe. His sister's safety had been his obsession as long as Suzaku had known Lelouch, and it would probably be made worse now that they had her.

"Same place?"

"Probably not. But she'll find us before we get too lost, she always does."

Suzaku shifting uncomfortably in the saddle, ignoring the annoyed snort from Lancelot. He had always felt uncomfortable around the Geass or any mentions of magic. He had grown up in a world where such things were just part of the stories, not part of everyday life. And then the magic had invaded his world when he had run from death. He had been lost and frightened, and the magic hadn't helped. It had gotten to a point where he couldn't even look at Lelouch if the illusion wasn't in place.

Suzaku shook his head. "How long?"

"Not more than a few days." Lelouch shot him a quick glance; answer the unspoken part of his question with the look. They would return to the Black Knights when he deemed it necessary. And Suzaku knew better than to push for a better answer.

He didn't bother to hide his disapproval of the situation and Lelouch reacted exactly as Suzaku thought he would, focusing on Nunnally and ignoring him.

It surprised Suzaku how much that slight hurt. They were still friends, more out of habit and necessity than anything else, so it shouldn't hurt so much to be so obviously ignored. Suzaku quickly stifled any other feelings towards Lelouch, telling himself that they didn't matter. After all, it was just common knowledge between them that Lelouch had let him in just to fill the space that Nunnally had left, and he was using Lelouch to try and get rid of the feeling of uselessness that Euphemia's death had left him with.

"Suzaku." Nunnally's voice brought him out of his musings. He forced a smile on his face, noticing that Lelouch looked away at that. Nunnally seemed to struggle to come up with something to say, Suzaku urging Lancelot forward so the two horses could walk side by side, only for Arthur to attempt to crush his leg.

"Arthur!" Lelouch pulled his horse away, obviously trying not to laugh, probably at the expression on Suzaku's face.

Nunnally, however, just looked confused. "Does he not like…"

"Lancelot." Suzaku supplied.

Lelouch shook his head. "No. They get along perfectly fine. Arthur just can't stand Suzaku, he never has." Lelouch looked at him with a smirk. "So I trust that the trip down here was eventful."

Suzaku caught himself smiling back, some part of him appalled that it was this easy to fall back into this parody of their close friendship from before. Why couldn't he bring himself to hate Lelouch completely?

Instead of turning away and ignoring the comment as he should, Suzaku continued to smirk. "Well, my arm managed to stay attached. That's something."

Then, they were both laughing, and Suzaku wished that they didn't have to act like this.

* * *

V.V. paused as the found one of his underlings waiting for him in the town, the man nervously clutching a pigeon. He raised an eyebrow and held a hand out for the message, predicting that it would just be another list of the people that Lelouch had captured. The fact that the prince had been so successful thus far was making V.V. nervous. Lelouch was getting too close to Nunnally, so he had to move her out of the way and destroy him. And this time, he would make sure Lelouch was dead.

He unrolled the message, scanning its contents. He frowned as he realized what was happening, biting back a curse before crumpling the message. Lelouch had managed to beat him to the punch; he had found Nunnally and taken her away. "When?"

"We don't know, but he's trailing them now." The man holding the pigeon gave a weak smile before setting the bird down. "Others are waiting on your orders."

V.V's first thought was to order their deaths; it would be the simple and expedient way to rid himself of this problem. But it wouldn't get him the witch, and he needed her to be able to completely destroy the curse that she had given the royal family. But if he startled them enough they just might lead him right to both the witch and the princess, and nothing would be lost. V.V. thought on the plan for a moment before gesturing the man forward. "Hold all messages for me, I'll return for them."

"My lord?"

"This is to our advantage. They'll lead us straight to her." He turned to look at the man. "It's no threat to our plans."

The man's quick salute showed off his training, he wouldn't argue with his superior over this. V.V. smiled at that and turned away, sure that his orders would be spread throughout the rest of the group, which only left one thing to consider; the matter of Lelouch and the witch herself. He already knew what he was going to do with the witch; he was going to question her about this curse that she had given the royal family before killing her to force their world out of the cycle of war and pain. He knew that he would just kill Lelouch, but he would probably hand the young man over to the authorities so he could be hanged for his crimes as Zero. It was a commoner's punishment to be hanged, but that's what made the victory so delicious.

V.V's smile disappeared when he remembered the other person he had to factor into the plan, Nunnally. She wouldn't go with him if he planned to harm her brother, so that would mean that he would have to lie to her. That in itself wasn't a problem; he had been doing that since he had taken her from her home. But it was a matter of pretending to be not involved in the circumstances in which her brother was killed. Perhaps, he could even use that as the catalyst to her rise to the throne.

He nodded to himself, already planning out everything that he would have to do to make it work. It would be a question of moving quickly and being sure that Schneizel and the others were out of the way, but it would work. What would be even better is if he could get Cornelia on his side, but that would only work if the request came from Nunnally herself, Cornelia was too smart for her own good.

V.V. ran the plan over in his mind again as he walked down the road back towards the tower that had been Nunnally's home for thirteen years. It would work perfectly, everything from the capture of the witch to Lelouch's death as a leader of the rebellion. And, knowing the relief that the royal family would feel, as they still cared about all their estranged brothers and sisters, they would welcome Nunnally back into the fold. All V.V. had to do was organize an assassination from the inside and the throne was his, Nunnally firmly under his thumb for the most important part of her rule. By the time he died, she would have changed the world for the better.

He smirked and hiked his pack higher on his back. In a strange twist of fate, he had Lelouch to thank for this. If he had stuck with his original plan then he would have had to wait until his brother had died. With this, he could easily grab the throne within the next year, and the time of peace that he had wanted since his childhood could begin.


	6. Regret

** Chapter Five: Regret **

Lelouch was not surprised that C.C. was waiting for them when they started the approach to her house. Knowing her, she had been tracking his progress towards them through the odd bond that they seemed to have because of the Geass. It didn't matter to him either way; he was just partially relieved to see her there.

He had been following some vague feeling that they were going the right way, a sense of direction that C.C. had given to him when she had decided that it was time to find another place to hide. But, aside from the sense that he was heading in the right direction, which was very vague in the first place, he had no idea where to find C.C.

He pulled Arthur to a stop, turning around to check on Nunnally, who was riding with Suzaku. The knight had insisted that they trade off to spare the horses somewhat. It was probably his way of reminding him that they needed to get back to the Black Knights, a fact that Lelouch was not close to forgetting. But he had to keep his priorities straight. The Black Knights were in a place where they could be without Zero for a while, long enough for him to get Nunnally settled and spend a few days with her. Although, if Suzaku continued to insist on glaring at him, he might just send the knight back again.

"I didn't expect you to be coming to find me so soon after a victory." C.C. smirked at him, flipping her hair back over her shoulders. "What went wrong?"

"Nothing."

C.C. stared at him before looking up at Suzaku as the knight caught up. Lelouch saw her eyes widen for a moment as she spotted the girl sitting in front of Suzaku. She looked back at him, her usual bored expression back in place. "I see."

She turned away and began walking back through the forest, Lelouch following her. He ducked low over Arthur's neck, surprised when she dropped back to walk by the charger's shoulder, resting one hand on the horse. "I thought you wanted to avoid me."

"I do. But sometimes there are more important things than my own personal comfort."

"Really now? You've managed to mature." Lelouch rolled his eyes, letting her have the slight. When he didn't react in the usual fashion, C.C. calmed down, probably pouting. She led them in silence for a little while longer before clearing her throat. "So, have you come to complete your side of the contract?"

"What?"

C.C. glanced over her shoulder. "You found her, didn't you? I gave you the chance to find her, so now you have to-"

"Not yet." Lelouch ignored her disgruntled huff, playing with the excess rein for a moment. "There are other things that I need to do first."

"You're planning to free all of them." Lelouch didn't respond to the statement, that enough of a reply for C.C. She sighed, shaking her head. "You're no use to me dead."

"How else am I going to keep her safe?"

"The Black Knights would be the safest place for her, because you would be there. You wouldn't be running to find me in the midst of battle to keep her safe." C.C. glared at him when Lelouch went to respond. "You know it's true. You spent too long looking for her to risk losing her now and don't you try to argue, I know you, I raised you."

"What makes you think that I wouldn't keep her with me?"

"You came to me." C.C. grinned at him, Lelouch tensing at the fact that he was so easy to read. She chuckled to herself, patting Arthur's shoulder. "Why else would you put up with me unless you wanted something?"

He shook his head and looked away, letting C.C. lead them further away from the trail, trying to at least remember where they were going and orient it to the vague sense of direction that he had from C.C. She was right about him running back, Lelouch feeling fear curl in his stomach at the thought of Nunnally in danger, but he forced the fear back down. If any of it showed on his face C.C. would tease him mercilessly.

She kept silent until they reached the small house that was tucked away between two trees, Lelouch expecting some final comment from her only to have C.C. walk away from him, obviously done trying to talk to him. He drew himself up in the saddle, ignoring the pain from his side before sliding off Arthur. He was about to lead the horse away when Suzaku dropped to the ground beside him, Lelouch staring at his knight.

"Take Nunnally in, I'll take care of the horses."

Lelouch gave a curt nod before walking over to help Nunnally down from Lancelot's back. He nearly fell over as he took her full weight, carefully balancing himself as he adjusted her in his arms. His side was throbbing in pain, Lelouch forcing himself to just ignore it, the wound was probably just protesting two days of riding straight through the day.

He gave Nunnally a smile as she wrapped her arms around his neck to steady herself, walking towards the house as Suzaku led the horses off to care for them. The knight probably wouldn't come into the house unless he had to and he would probably sleep outside to avoid getting close to anything that had contact with the Geass or magic. His aversion to the Geass was enough to make Lelouch wonder why Suzaku had even bothered to follow him this far.

C.C. was waiting by the door for him, not that Lelouch was surprised. Deep down she was probably excited to see that Nunnally was still alive. He wasn't exactly sure what she had been doing by the castle the night that his mother had died, it was something that she would never share with him. It was just one of the things that he was sure that he would never find out, like why she preferred to stay out of his way despite the fact that she was always saying that he was no use to him dead. It would make more sense for her to stay close to him to make sure that he wasn't just blindly throwing himself into dangerous situations. But, on the other hand, it spared him the annoyance that was sure to come with spending time with the witch.

He set Nunnally down on one of the two chairs in the room, frowning when C.C. took the other one, forcing him to remain standing. Lelouch scowled at the amused look she sent him before looking away, scanning the small house. From the looks of things, Suzaku might not be the only one sleeping outside tonight.

"Lelouch," he looked over at C.C. as she spoke, "how long do you plan on staying?"

He looked at Nunnally before clearing his throat. "Until Remembrance Day, I promised that I would stay that long."

C.C. glared at him for a moment before shrugging. "As long as you remember your other commitments…" Lelouch glared right back at her. He was perfectly capable of remembering the contract that they had made and he fully intended on carrying out his end of the deal. But there was nowhere for Nunnally to go, not with him being Zero. Lelouch dropped his gaze to the floor, hearing C.C. give a soft chuckle. "I see."

He gave her a quick glance before going back to staring at the floor. Of course she would see and, of course, she would speak to him about it as soon as Nunnally was out of hearing range. His hands clenched into fists before he forced them to relax, looking up abruptly as Nunnally gave a yawn.

Lelouch came around to kneel by her chair, taking one of her hands in his. "Sorry, I didn't mean to push you so hard."

To his surprise, Nunnally just laughed. "You don't have to apologize."

He smiled at that before scooping her up again, C.C. jerking her head toward the one bed at the other end of the house, Lelouch taking his sister over there. He placed her down on the bed, sitting on the edge as she yawned again. "I shouldn't. The sun hasn't set yet."

"It's close enough." Lelouch leaned back onto his hands, watching as Nunnally fought to stay awake. "Besides, we rode all the way through the night last night, that couldn't have been too comfortable." He kept the smile on his face as Nunnally nodded, conceding him that point. "We'll wake you up when dinner is ready."

"Alright." The word was a sleepy whisper, Lelouch remaining in his place on the bed until he was sure she was asleep, carefully standing up to pad across the room.

He was surprised to find that C.C. had drawn the chairs closer to the fire, further away from where Nunnally was peacefully sleeping. Lelouch slid into one of them, leaning back and closing his eyes with a long sigh.

"Through the night?" He opened his eyes when C.C. spoke, only then noticing that the witch had started to cook something. She was kneeling in front of the fire, carefully stirring what was in the pot. Lelouch recognized the smell of stew, wanting to groan at the familiar scent. It sometimes seemed that all he ate was stew anymore. He returned his focus to C.C. as she continued to speak in a whisper. "What possessed you to do that?"

"My uncle." Lelouch reluctantly leaned forward, keeping his voice low. "He was the one who had taken Nunnally in the first place. He came by while I was with her and said he was going to be moving her."

"So you acted."

He nodded, staring into the fire. "Suzaku noticed signs of someone following us that first night, so we rode through the night to get here. We lost our follower sometime this afternoon, long before we found you."

"At least you remember one of my wishes."

"Not now witch."

C.C. shrugged, glancing back at Nunnally. "She would be safer with you."

"She hates Zero; she was raised to hate Zero." Lelouch rubbed his palms over his face. "And I can't give up Zero right now; I need him if our uncle comes after us."

"So you aren't just trying to free the Areas? You created your own personal army."

Lelouch glared at her, but looked away in the end. The Black Knights had been created to free the Areas from his dying father's control, but he had used them as a front to find the information that he needed. If need be, he would turn them to destroying his uncle completely, which might just destroy him. But there had to be some way that he could give the orders and use it to his advantage, maybe if he connected the group to the empire. It wasn't too far of a stretch to do so…

"Don't bother." He looked up at C.C., the witch now watching him from the floor. "Any way you spun it, it would look like a personal vendetta."

"If he can steal one innocent girl, he could steal another."

"But there are no more royal princesses left; you and him have made sure of that. What's your next plan?"

"Leave her here."

"No. Other than that."

"I can't bring her back with me!"

"Of course, you've said that before." C.C. stared up at him, tipping her head to the side. "What about Suzaku?" Lelouch froze at that, watching C.C. out of the corner of his eye. "The answer is obvious. Send him back with her to the capital. You both trust him."

"No."

"With the emperor dying and the others dead, Schniezel will keep her close just to protect her from Zero. And with Suzaku as her knight-"

"I said no!" Lelouch froze after his outburst, looking over his shoulder to see if he had woken Nunnally. He relaxed when he saw that his sister was still asleep, slumping in his seat. "She'll stay here until I can get rid of my uncle. I just need the time to plan."

"You have a plan; you just don't want to use it. Now why is that?" C.C. leaned forward, placing her chin in one hand as she studied him. Lelouch saw her eyes widen a fraction before she smirked. "Oh, I see. You want to keep him close despite the fact that he can't stand you. You still hope that he'll remember that he liked you once and that he'll come back."

Lelouch gave a harsh bark of laughter before shaking his head, aware that C.C. was chuckling now. She leaned forward. "You many deny it, but I can see it. You're just waiting for him to 'come to his senses'. You must have actually loved him back then. Hm, I never knew how much that accident meant to you."

"It wasn't an accident!" The words were out of his mouth before Lelouch could stop them. He stared at C.C. in horror before standing up to walk away before she could gloat over her victory. He didn't want her picking at the painful memory of the day that Euphemia had died just for her amusement.

"Lelouch." He stopped as she called his name, tipping his head to the side to show that he was listening. "You haven't told him about it."

He hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. "No."

"Or about the-"

"None of it." He swallowed before turning around with a laugh. "It doesn't matter. I know what I am to him; I'm the leader he only follows because his attempt at getting peace failed. I'm just Euphemia's replacement because we share the same blood. I'm just a warm body in his tent. And I don't care."

"You don't?"

Lelouch wanted nothing more than to wipe that smug look off of C.C.'s face. He was good at lying, but he had never been able to lie to her. He looked away, turning away and smiling at the wall, forcing himself not to slump. "Of course not."

She hummed to herself, obviously not paying attention to him any longer. Lelouch sighed and looked for a place where he could collapse and get a few minutes of sleep before he was woken up for dinner. He was about to move when C.C. spoke up again. "You know, you aren't that far from a village or the tower."

He smiled to himself. "I expected as much. You would have me go the long way to get here."

"It was for my own safety. But now you know."

Lelouch nodded, taking a step towards the bed, wanting to be near Nunnally while he rested, only to be pulled back down into the chair. He stared at C.C. as she pushed him back into the chair. "Stay here and rest, I need to make sure that your knight hasn't let the horses eat my plants."

"I could-"

"No. You want to be close to your sister." C.C. gave him a smile, the expression rare for her. "And you need your sleep."

He snorted, settling back in the chair. "Since when did you care?"

She just hummed to herself, brushing his hair out of his eyes before walking out of the room, Lelouch leaning forward slightly to watch her go. A fond smile crossed his face before he could stop it, Lelouch sighing and rubbing a hand over his face. C.C. hadn't acted like that around him since he had started to lead the Black Knights; probably her version of being disappointed in him and the moments when she acted like she cared always startled him. Still, it was good to have someone who cared.

Lelouch settled back in the chair and allowed his eyes to close, telling himself that he wouldn't fall asleep just yet, he would wait until C.C. got back into the house. Besides, knowing C.C., she would let him sleep right through dinner to get revenge on him for something that he had done years ago. That thought brought the smile back, Lelouch fighting it back down as he shifted into a more comfortable position.

He would miss C.C. when the time came to handle his end of their contract.

* * *

Suzaku stared up through the trees, watching as the colors of the sunset faded away, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. He would stay out here for a little while longer before going in to check on Nunnally, but he wouldn't stay. The few years he had stayed with C.C. before had been enough for him. He was in no hurry to reacquaint himself with the house of the witch. And he wanted to avoid the arguments that she and Lelouch were sure to get into.

He sighed and sat up, running a hand through his hair before looking back over at the horses. Both Arthur and Lancelot were happily grazing a short distance away. The horses would be able to sense something coming long before he would, even if someone could find this place. He didn't know how Lelouch had done it in the first place, probably something to do with the Geass, and C.C. hadn't helped matters by leading them around in circles to get to the house.

He tensed as he heard the door to the house open, glancing over his shoulder to see that it was just C.C, the witch pushing her green hair back over her shoulders. Suzaku stared at her for a moment before turning around to look back at the horses again, preferring to stay with something that was safe and that he knew. He heard C.C. laugh at that, the witch coming to a stop behind him. "You still don't trust me, even after I practically raised you for three years."

Suzaku rolled his shoulders forward, hoping that she would get the hint and walk away. He didn't want to be confronted with magic right now, not when he was on the verge of falling asleep. He seemed tired most of the time now, just a bone deep exhaustion that he could never seem to lift. Suzaku rubbed the heels of his hands against his eyes, fighting back the urge to just collapse to the ground and never get up again. Life would be easier that way.

"Suzaku-"

"Not right now." He flinched as he cut her off, turning around to stare at C.C. "Just, not right now. Go talk to Lelouch."

"They're both asleep." She ignored his look of dismay and settled on the ground next to him, staring off into the distance. "And I'd like to keep them that way; Lelouch is easier to deal with when he's unconscious."

"I'll stay out here then. Someone needs to keep watch."

"Even though no one can find this place?"

Suzaku calmly met her gaze. "Someone needs to keep watch."

She waved him away, leaning back onto her hands and laughing. He almost asked her what was so funny, but then decided that he didn't want to know. Suzaku sat up, crossing his legs and settling down for a long period of sitting. He was sure that Lelouch would bring food out of him if C.C. didn't, and he was more than willing to stay up for the whole night.

The fact that they had been followed had him on edge. He knew that Lelouch's uncle was behind Nunnally's kidnapping, the prince had told him that much. And he had sat in on many of the questioning sessions, so he knew that their uncle had a large network of people at his command. Their only advantage was the Black Knights, and they were too far away to do any good, which left only Suzaku. He wouldn't be able to stand up to larger numbers of men for long. His hand tightened gripped his leg with that thought, Suzaku fixing his gaze straight ahead and trying to ignore the relief that came with the knowledge that he would die.

He was startled out of his thoughts as C.C. shifted beside him, sitting up straight and looking at him. Suzaku pointedly avoided her gaze for a while, trying to find something to focus on other than the witch. He looked back over a moment later as she laughed, staring at her as she shook her head. "I'm sick of you two."

"What?"

She pulled her legs up, brushing off the grass that had stuck to the back of her legs. "Lelouch would have fulfilled his half of the contract by now if he wasn't distracted by whatever is between you two."

"There is nothing."

"There was." Suzaku blushed at the statement, hating that even C.C. knew about his one mistake. She didn't seem to realize that he was blushing, continuing to stare off in the same direction as before. "Frankly, I don't care what happens as long as it's solved and Lelouch abides by the contract."

"There's nothing to be done. It's been done for a while and a private matter." He tried to keep his voice even.

C.C. just raised an eyebrow to stare at him, suddenly laughing and turning away. "You should talk to Lelouch about that. That and the Geass."

"The Geass?"

"On you."

Suzaku didn't even register the fact that C.C. had walked away, frozen in place as he considered the fact. His first reaction was to just ignore the witch altogether, she had lied to him before just to get him to act out. The fact that she teased Lelouch like that all the time just made it harder for him to believe it. Then again, C.C. never lied when the truth could hurt just as much and she knew how much he feared and hated the Geass. She had said that she wanted the thing between him and Lelouch ended, even though both he and Lelouch knew that it was nothing, over with.

But the fact that Lelouch had used Geass on him, especially knowing that he hated the damn power, and then never mentioned it to him just made it worse. Mostly because it sounded like something like Lelouch would do. If something furthered Lelouch's plans, the prince would lunge at the chance and never think about the consequences.

Suzaku clenched his hands into fists, only then realizing that he was shaking. He let out a quick breath before pushing off the ground to stand, his exhaustion replaced with energy, a nearly frantic energy that called for movement. His first thought was to run from this place, but his promise to Lelouch kept him here, he was Lelouch's knight, Zero's knight. But what did that promise mean when Lelouch had used his Geass on him. Did his promise even stand anymore? He could have made it under Geass and was only realizing it now. But there were many other chances that Lelouch had to use the Geass and Suzaku could never be sure, Lelouch could have ordered him to forget about it later.

He ran his hands roughly through his hair, using the small amount of pain from the move to focus himself. The smart thing to do would be to get away from here as fast as possible and try to salvage what part of his life he had left. Lelouch would probably have the Black Knights chasing after him, afraid that Suzaku would reveal too much about him, but that would just show how far their friendship had decayed, to the point where neither of them could trust each other.

Suzaku groaned, leaning against a tree and pressing the side of his head against the bark, taking a deep breath to calm himself. As a knight, he couldn't leave Lelouch, he had promised to protect and serve him. Even so, he couldn't stay when he knew Lelouch had kept that from him, he had been proud of the fact that he was one of the people that Lelouch rarely lied to, or so he had thought. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, gathering himself together before pushing away from the tree. He would leave right now and camp somewhere before continuing to run; there was nothing else to do.

"Where are you going?" He froze at the familiar voice, not bothering to turn around. "Suzaku?"

"If I went now…would you order me to return? Or have you used up your one chance?"

"You are my knight and…One chance?" He turned around then at the fear in Lelouch's voice, satisfied at the panic on Lelouch's face. The emotion was quickly replaced with anger, Lelouch glaring at him. "Who told you?"

"You should have."

"Damn it, Suzaku!"

"C.C." He wouldn't lie, not like Lelouch had to him.

"That witch." Lelouch turned to walk back into the house, Suzaku frowning and walking forward to grab his shoulder, roughly spinning the prince around.

"This isn't about her, Lelouch."

"But she-"

"You should have told me!" Suzaku tightened his hold on Lelouch's shoulder, Lelouch gasping in pain and reaching up to try and pry Suzaku's hand off of him. He ignored the frantic scrambling, turning them so his back was facing the house so Lelouch wouldn't have anywhere to run. "You should have told me that you decided to use that curse on me. We were friends, Lelouch!"

Lelouch laughed at that, one of his hands dropping back to his side as he shot a glare at Suzaku. "That's why I did it."

"When?" Lelouch looked away, Suzaku narrowing his eyes and exerting more pressure on Lelouch's shoulder. "When, Lelouch?"

Lelouch yelped in pain, trembling before falling onto his knees, Suzaku holding him there. Lelouch reached up to try and pry Suzaku's hand from him again. "Let go!"

"Tell me when, Lelouch."

"Euphy." Lelouch hissed the word out, digging his short nails into Suzaku's hand. "The night we found Euphy."

Suzaku loosened his hold for a moment, just long enough for Lelouch to scramble away from him. His fingers flexed in the air, a delayed reaction to the shocking news. He looked down at Lelouch, watching the prince gently press fingers to his injured shoulder, glaring at Suzaku the entire time. "There was no reason for-"

"There was no reason for not telling me." Suzaku walked over to Lelouch, watching the prince flinch away from him. "Now, tell me what you made me do."

"You don't remember?"

"Of course not. You messed with my head!"

"I did not!" Lelouch shifted so he was kneeling on the ground, looking like he was going to get back up. Suzaku took a step forward, waiting out Lelouch's glare until the prince sank back down. He didn't want to give Lelouch the chance to gain the upper hand. "You've seen me use my Geass before; it's not always an order to forget."

"Then what did you make me do?" He took a step closer to Lelouch, annoyed that the prince didn't lean away from him. Lelouch was obviously not intimidated and somehow that made it worse.

He punched Lelouch, shocked by his own action as he watched the prince go down, but he didn't let the advantage that he had gained slip by. Suzaku lunged forward, pinning Lelouch to the ground and glaring down at him, one hand resting threatening around the prince's throat. Lelouch went limp at that, staring up at him before averting his eyes. Suzaku hesitated for a moment, his fingers flexing against Lelouch's neck by not closing. By turning his head to the side, Lelouch had just given up the advantage. As long as there had been eye contact, Lelouch could have used his Geass on him, if he hadn't already done so, but the fact of the motion remained. Lelouch would never give up eye contact with anyone if he could help it.

Suzaku sat back, lifting his hand from around Lelouch's neck, but keeping it hovering threateningly. If Lelouch had given ground then he would to, at least until he figure out what Lelouch was up to.

"I suppose I did make you do something, but that was not the nature of the order."

Suzaku shivered. "Then what was the order?"

Lelouch glanced up at him, still not moving his head, leaving his left cheek pressed against the ground. "You should remember."

"I don't." Lelouch flinched at that, trying to curl up on himself, but he was stopped by Suzaku. "Lelouch, tell me what you-"

"I commanded you to live." Lelouch mumbled the words softly, Suzaku having to lean over to hear him. He hovered over Lelouch for a moment, processing what the prince had just said before nearly throwing himself off of Lelouch, scrambling to get away from him. Lelouch just remained on the ground, Suzaku only then noticing that he had kept his left eye shut, but it was just a mere passing thought as he stared at the prince. Lelouch didn't look at him as he continued to speak. "You were going to kill yourself and I couldn't let you."

"Lelouch, I was her knight."

"That doesn't mean that you have to follow her into death!" Lelouch lifted his head from the ground for a moment before letting it drop back down, Suzaku ignoring the continued surrender from him.

"I _love_ her, Lelouch!"

That got Lelouch's attention, the prince tensing on the ground before sitting up, Lelouch still keeping his left eye shut. "Lelouch, she was the…She was everything to me."

"Obviously." Lelouch opened his left eye and stood up, glaring down at Suzaku. "Everyone could tell by the way you spent that day fucking me instead of looking after her."

"It was a mistake, Lelouch! A stupid childish mistake!"

He expected Lelouch to lash out at him or shout at him, but the prince only took a step back. Suzaku was sure that he saw shock on Lelouch's face, but it was gone too fast for him to tell. Instead of the shout that he expected from Lelouch, the prince just nodded, turning away. "Of course."

Suzaku stared after Lelouch as he walked away, shaking his head before turning around and walking to where the horses were, making sure to avoid Arthur. He hadn't expected Lelouch to retreat at all; it wasn't in the prince's nature. Suzaku had expected to have to keep drawing the answers out of Lelouch, but he would take his victory where he could. Although this was almost enough to make him want to resign, but that was something that a knight couldn't do. And, Lelouch was the only thing of Euphy that he had left. The pin was a memento of her, but Lelouch had her eyes, or the closest it could get to that color.

Before, he had felt bad for clinging to little things like that, for liking Lelouch just for that; at least until it had been revealed that Lelouch had used his Geass. Suzaku sighed and leaned his forehead against Lancelot's neck, taking a deep breath. He closed his eyes, running over the plans in his mind. He would leave tomorrow and return to the Black Knights, staying there only until Lelouch came back and then he would be gone. The reminder of Euphy was not enough anymore.

Still, he wanted the memory of that night, he wanted to know what he had done, the thing that Lelouch had taken away with his order. No matter how much Lelouch insisted that nothing had impeded his memory something had gone wrong. He could remember finding Euphy and the ride back clearly, but nothing in the middle, probably because he was being prevented from killing himself.

Suzaku pressed his fingers against Lancelot, ignoring the snort of annoyance from the horse. He reached with his other hand to tangle his fingers in the charger's mane, using the grip to steady himself. If nothing else went right, if Lelouch killed him, he wanted to know what he had said that night. He knew that he had told Euphy that he loved her, that she couldn't die, that he remembered clearly. The words after that were difficult.

He screwed his eyes shut, focusing on that night and still only getting snippets. Suzaku shook his head and tried to start from the beginning.

He had found Euphy first, Lelouch had been searching elsewhere. He had jumped from Lancelot to rush over to her, and then he had started begging for her to stay alive. Lelouch had to have come up behind him then, because that's when he would have come to the conclusion that she was never coming back. And then…

 _"W-wait for me, Euphy."_ There was the phrase that he was searching for. Suzaku swallowed and pressed his fingers against Lancelot, trying to center himself. He remembered stuttering out that phrase and he had fumbled for his knife. _"I promised to protect you, I promised…just wait."_

 _"Suzaku?"_

 _"She can't be alone. I can't leave her alone. I'm her knight; I have to protect her…"_

 _"Suzaku! What are you doing?"_

 _"I have to protect her! I'm her knight. I love her!"_

 _"Suzaku, I command you to live!"_

He shuddered, feeling Lancelot nudging his side. Suzaku blindly reached out to pet the charger, breathing deeply before slumping against the horse. He gritted his teeth, his breath hissing out slowly. Damn Lelouch. Damn him for using that power. Lelouch knew how he felt about it!

Suzaku pushed away from Lancelot, nearly ripping his bedroll from the back of the saddle. He threw it down to the ground, moving away as Lancelot sidled away at the sight of the blanket flapping. Suzaku dragged the blanket away way from the startled horses before throwing himself down onto it.

Tomorrow he was leaving and there was no changing his mind.

Suzaku reached back and pulled the blanket up over him, deciding that he could eat in the morning. He shut his eyes and tried to get himself to calm down enough to sleep. But his mind was still working too fast, repeating that horrible night, making him relieve every moment with Euphy until he had to lower her into the grave. He pressed his face against the blanket, taking another deep breath and letting it out slowly, repeating the motion until he felt himself relaxing. All he had to do was not think of Euphy, not think of her smiling face and gentle laughter.

He whimpered and curled up on himself, clutching at his shoulders. He had loved Euphy. He still loved Euphy. He loved everything about her. And he owed her for saving him from his eventual execution; he owed her so much but still hadn't been able to serve her properly. She had owned his heart and soul; he had gladly given them to her without her knowing. And his first time should have been hers, would have been hers, if it hadn't been for his lack of control and Lelouch.

Suzaku ducked his head, his chin resting against his chest. "I'm sorry, my princess."

* * *

C.C. stared out into the yard, picking out Suzaku curled up in his bedroll before shutting the door, shaking her head. Sometimes she wondered who would be the more stubborn, Lelouch or Suzaku. Both of them seemed intent on making their lives miserable. She turned around, surprised to see that Nunnally was still awake. The girl had barely managed to stay awake to be brought her dinner.

She walked over to Nunnally, standing quietly by the end of the bed and waiting for the girl to notice her. C.C. had gone too long without having to conform herself to the expectations of other humans, and she relished that fact. It kept her distanced from the ones that did manage to remain in contact with her, keeping her from hurting too much when they died. She had only bent that rule for Lelouch for two reasons, because he had needed her and because she needed someone to take Marianne's place.

Nunnally blushed as she realized that C.C. was standing there, lying back in bed and turning her head so she was still looking in the direction of the door. "Big brother never came in for dinner. Neither did Suzaku. Are they alright?"

"Suzaku is outside, asleep." C.C. didn't bother to finish answering Nunnally's question, tucking the girl in before turning around and walking out the door again. She spared a glance at the knight before walking around the house, heading back past the gardens.

As she had suspected, Lelouch was there, the prince braced against a tree with his arms wrapped around himself. C.C. carefully picked her way through her rows of plants, using the time to study Lelouch.

Everything about his position said that he wanted to be left alone, from the hunch of his shoulders to the way that he was clutching at himself. But C.C. ignored the warning; he couldn't do anything to her, especially like this. The worst that she would get would be a few sharp words, but even those had lost their bite after many years of hearing them.

She walked around until she was right in front of Lelouch, standing patiently as she waited for him to speak. He had seen her, she knew that. Even lost in his own thoughts, Lelouch would notice movement; all the years of leading the Black Knights had trained him to keep on the alert no matter what.

C.C. didn't have to wait long, Lelouch lifting his head a bit, but not enough to meet her gaze. "Why did you tell him?"

"It's better for him to hear it here instead of finding out in battle. What do you think his reaction would have been then?" Lelouch didn't answer, just raising a shaking hand to cover the left side of his face, C.C. recognizing the gesture; Lelouch only did that when he was insecure or scared, and too far gone to realize that he was showing it. By covering up the eye that held the symbol of the Geass, he felt safer somehow. C.C. never understood why hiding the one thing that could save him made Lelouch feel safer. She raised one shoulder in a shrug before letting out a long sigh. "It hurt more to hear it from him, doesn't it? You just can't pretend that you were assuming wrong anymore."

She saw Lelouch's fingers curl inwards slightly before he straightened them out against his face again, that enough of an answer for C.C. She tipped her head to the side. "Lelouch?"

"He still loves her." The reply was slightly muffled by Lelouch's hand. "After all of this time, the idiot still loves her…and she's dead."

"You're like this because he fucked you once and then decided that he loved the woman he could never have better." C.C. chuckled, ignoring the glare that was shot at her, crossing her arms. "What happened to the cold hearted terrorist leader, Zero?"

"I'm still underneath there."

"Yes, you are."

"Damn it, witch, you're not helping."

C.C. shrugged. "What do you want me to do? I'm not your mother or your confidant; I'm just your accomplice."

Lelouch lifted his hand from over his eye, staring at her for a moment before leaning back completely against the tree, his arms dangling limply at his sides. "Nothing."

"Right. Then the smart thing to do would be to forget about this and move on. Suzaku obviously has no interest in you. Let it go."

He gave a bark of laughter. "And become like you?"

"That takes many years."

"No." Lelouch straightened up slowly, the corner of his mouth twitching up in an almost smile. "But I should have seen it sooner. I am Zero, the leader of the rebellion who took away his family, his cousin and his beloved princess. There is no reason to love me."

He pushed away from the tree, C.C. turning her head to watch him walk through the garden and back towards the house. "So, this is the end of your sulking?"

Lelouch's shoulders slumped at that, C.C. watching him seem to fold in on himself before Lelouch quickly drew himself up. "I'm not like you, give me a while."

C.C's expression softened, keeping the subtle sign of affection only as long as Lelouch kept his back turned. "You liked him, didn't you?"

"It doesn't matter anymore."

C.C. let him walk away after that, remaining standing just behind the garden and staring out into the forest. Convincing him to take Nunnally with him would have to wait until tomorrow; Lelouch wasn't ready to hear that his uncle's people were starting to tighten the loop around them. She was sure that they wouldn't find where she was hiding, but suddenly she wasn't the safest place anymore, and she didn't know how well Lelouch would react to that news, especially in the wake of this recent heartbreak.

But, knowing Lelouch as well as she did, he would just push this aside and continue forward like nothing had happened. And he would end up just like her in the eventually, keeping himself away from the world because it was easier, so much easier to not feel and just exist.

The corner of her mouth twisted up in a wry smile as she looked up at the canopy of leaves, catching the hint of a star here or there. Marianne would be appalled by what had happened to her children because of her death. C.C. expected that it would be a testament to the memory of the closest person she could call a friend to prevent Marianne's only son from becoming like her, not a task that C.C. relished. Still, it was just a matter of the contract between her and Lelouch, and it would stay that way.

Anything else was just an unnecessary complication.


	7. Change of Plans

** Chapter Six: Change of Plans **

"Where is he?" Kallen slammed her hand down on the table, looking at the two others gathered there. When neither Ohgi nor Tohdoh could supply an answer, she stepped away and began pacing. She kept her gaze on the floor. "We need him here now! Everything is ready but the people are waiting for him! It's nearly been over a week."

"You said Suzaku was going to get him."

Kallen paused to look at Ohgi, narrowing her eyes. "Yes, he said he was."

"What if-"

"No." She spun around to glare at the two men. "He's not dead. I know it."

She heard Tohdoh sigh, ignoring the older man for now. Kallen could feel Ohgi's gaze on her as she continued to pace, waiting for what he would have to say. Any plan that she came up with at the moment would be shot down because of the mood she was in. While she was a great fighter, she had a tendency to become a little too reckless when she was angry.

"I was just going to say, what if they ran into trouble? Like a lame horse or an injury. It would take longer." Ohgi offered her a smile, pushing back from the table to stare at the papers in front of him. "Almost all of the Britannian forces under Clovis have been rounded up. The last group just got back from chasing them, Kallen could probably go after them as well."

The last part was directed at Tohdoh, the older man opening his eyes and giving a long sigh. "We could spare her, and perhaps half of Zero's personal guard but no more. Just because we have them doesn't mean that more are on the way."

"Right." Ohgi looked relieved, Kallen quickly hiding her smile. Of course he would be relieved to get this problem over with quickly; he was more used to long debates that often led to headaches. She had sat in on enough of them to learn that. "Then you're free to gather your men and horses. Just keep an eye and an ear out for reinforcements."

Kallen gave a mocking salute. "Reconnaissance and search and rescue. It's a big task."

Ohgi laughed and gestured for her to leave, Kallen turning and striding out of the room. She quickly found a page, sending him after the few men that she was allowed to bring, getting another to alert the kitchens that they would need supplies. She would see to the horses herself. As she walked to the stables, she mentally retraced the route that Suzaku had taken when he had left the castle, putting together the reports from the sentries that they had up at the time. The smartest strategy would be to follow the knight but still check in the villages along the way to see if they had any word about Zero.

Then again, it would be best to do this delicately. No one could know that they didn't know where Zero was, it would cause a panic and jar them out of their already dubious hold over the country. They would pose as reinforcements for a special mission that Zero was on, coming late because of the events at the castle; it would be enough cover for the time being.

Kallen stepped into the stables, taking a deep breath before letting out with a frustrated groan. She stormed over to her roan mare, grumbling under her breath. Of all the times to decide to go missing, this was not the right time for it. Still, she trusted Zero, she had followed him this far and she would continue to follow him until they had freed all of the Areas. She just hoped that she didn't go insane from their leader's side trips and long disappearances before then.

* * *

Nunnally let herself fall back into the grass, stretching out her arms before bringing them back to her sides, watching the sunlight fall through the trees, making dappled patterns on the ground. She had never seen this; she had only seen the shadows falling on the ground from her tower, sometimes amusing herself by using the sunlight to make shadows on the wall of her tower and creating a story. Usually, they were about a princess being rescued by a brave knight, the stories like her uncle had told her when she was little.

She wanted to laugh at that now, the idea that a knight would come and rescue her. Instead she had gotten her big brother, something that she had never thought possible. Nunnally turned her head to look at Lelouch, the smile disappearing from her face as she watched him.

They had been sitting out here for a few hours now, Nunnally just enjoying the afternoon and the experience of being out of her tower. But Lelouch hadn't moved from his position, one leg stretched out and the other bent, one arm resting on the bent leg with the other across the stomach. He was still staring over at where Arthur was grazing, the black horse seeming to be more listless. Nunnally pushed herself up into a sitting position, seeing Lelouch glance at her before going back to his staring.

It was strange to see Arthur without Lancelot standing by his side, the place where the grey horse had stood empty except for a small pile of stuff that belonged to the two of them. Nunnally bit her lip, her fingers playing with the grass, plaiting them together when pieces were torn out of the ground.

Suzaku had left sometime in the morning before either she or Lelouch had gone outside. She had woken up to the sound of the door shutting and had seen her brother leaning against it. When she had had what was wrong, she just got a curt "He's gone" before Lelouch had walked back to the chairs by the fireplace. Nunnally had spent most of her morning studying him from the bed, the slow pass of the hours nothing new to her; it was the kind of boredom she could deal with.

Lelouch had snapped out of his sulk long enough to bring her lunch and then carry her outside where they were now. Nunnally glanced down at the torn grass in her hand before brushing off her lap, watching as Lelouch tilted his head forward until his forehead was resting against his bent arm. The long sigh that accompanied the action had her worried. "Lelouch?"

He didn't answer her, Nunnally unable to see his eyes because of the way his hair fell across them. She scooted closer, reaching back to tuck her legs under her to keep her balance. She watched Lelouch for a while longer before speaking again. "Where did Suzaku go?"

Lelouch tensed at the mention of the knight's name, looking up slowly. "He had…something that he had to do."

"You sent him away?"

"Something like that." He chuckled before leaning back onto his hands, still tense. Nunnally wanted to reach out to touch him, to try and get him to relax, but she wasn't sure that she could. As easily as they had adjusted to each other, there were still many times where she didn't know what to do to help her brother or even if she could. She looked down and stared at the grass instead. "Nunnally, we need to talk about what will happen after Remembrance Day."

She looked up at that, her throat tightening. "Alright."

"I…I can't stay, not for long." Nunnally folded her hands in her lap, twisting her fingers together, staring at them instead of looking at her brother. "There are things that I still have to do."

"So you're leaving me here?"

"There is no safer place then with C.C. She was the one who raised me."

"I understand, big brother. But I thought that…"

"Nunnally," she looked up at the sigh, "I want nothing more than to stay, but I have other commitments."

"Then take me with you!"

"I can't!" Lelouch slumped forward again, pressing his forehead against his arm again. Nunnally shrunk back at the outburst, watching her brother carefully until Lelouch looked up at her again. He watched for her a moment before lifting his head again. "It's not safe where I'm going."

"Then why are you-" Nunnally cut herself off, staring at him, really looking at her brother. Lelouch didn't seem to notice her scrutiny, returning to his staring off at Arthur. Nunnally followed his gaze, focusing on the horse. Lelouch was supposed to be dead, so where would he get the money to own a horse and armor. Nunnally tipped her head to the side, even with all her years in the tower she knew that it took money to take care of such things. She felt her stomach drop as she came to a quick conclusion, not even sure that it was right, but the words escaped her before she could stop them. "You're with the Black Knights."

Lelouch jerked at that, lifting his head to stare at her in shock. That expression alone was enough to tell her that she was right. Nunnally bit her lip, hanging her head. "You shouldn't be with them."

"Nunnally…"

"They killed our brothers and sisters, Lelouch! They follow that monster!" Nunnally pulled herself closer, reaching out for him only to have Lelouch lean away from her. She pulled her hand back, biting her lip before sitting up. "Just…just tell me Lelouch, why are you doing this? Why are you following Zero?"

Lelouch shifted in place, letting his eyes slide shut again. He resumed his position with his forehead resting against his arm, Nunnally slumping when she realized that she wasn't going to get an answer. She tucked her hands back into her lap, focusing on them instead of her brother, trying to push away her horror and disappointment. She squeezed her hands together, feeling them tremble. "I just want to know, Lelouch. I just want to try and understand what you've been through. Was it for revenge or protection?"

She watched as he unfolded himself, hesitating halfway through the movement before straightening up. "Protection. It's the safest place for me."

"On the front lines?"

"No one would look for a prince there." Lelouch gave her a shaky smile, looking away quickly.

Nunnally didn't bother to chase his gaze, biting her lip. "But you could have been hurt. Why did you take that risk?"

"I wanted to find you." She glanced up at him before looking back down, catching the beginnings of a smile. "And they were the only ones that were willing to take me in."

"You spent this whole time looking for me?"

"I promised mother that I would protect you. I had to keep that promise." Lelouch gave her the first real smile she had seen out of him since Suzaku had left.

"Is that why Suzaku left?" She saw his smile waver, continuing when it remained on his face. "You sent him ahead."

Lelouch's smile didn't disappear, but he did slump a bit, Nunnally biting her lower lip as she tried to decide whether it was a good sign or not. While she tried to figure him out, Lelouch went back to studying the charger across the small clearing. "Something like that."

Nunnally let him sit in silence, pulling her legs closer to her. Something was obviously bothering her big brother, or else he wouldn't be so quiet. He wasn't thinking, she knew that look very well, this was something else entirely. Her first instinct was to ask Suzaku, but the knight wasn't here and she doubted that C.C. would help her. The woman seemed more interested in annoying Lelouch and whatever their contract was, Nunnally had heard it mentioned between the two of them many times the day before.

It was probably nothing and she was just overreacting, but she couldn't shake the feeling that Lelouch had gotten himself in over his head again. First, he had joined the Black Knights for the safety they offered. But how could he be sure that they wouldn't turn on him when they were done murdering the other members of the royal family? And then there was the question of why he had allowed them to murder their half brothers and sisters in the first place.

Then there was this contract. V.V. had told her stories about people who had made contracts with witches and magic users; she remembered having nightmares about the things that had happened to them. While she wasn't sure if C.C. was a witch, it sounded just like those stories. And, in those stories, there was always a price to pay if the contract wasn't fulfilled in time, and it sounded like that time was coming close. She tangled her fingers together, squeezing her hands tightly. As much as he hated the Black Knights and their leader Zero, perhaps it was the safest place for Lelouch if C.C. was a witch.

"Hey." Nunnally looked up as Lelouch placed a hand on hers, the smile back on his face. "This doesn't mean that I'm abandoning you. I'd never abandon you, Nunnally."

"I know." She worked out a hand from underneath his, placing it on top. "But that doesn't mean that I can't worry."

Lelouch laughed at that, leaning forward to press a kiss to her forehead. "You don't have to, I can look after myself."

"But-"

"Let me worry about you, it's what I'm supposed to do." He sat back, the smile staying on his face this time and he didn't slump again. Nunnally smiled at that, glad to have cheered her brother up. She shifted again, making herself comfortable and going back to her examination of the patterns of the sunlight on the ground.

It was only a day until Remembrance Day; she would finally get to pay her respects to her family properly. Of course, then she would lose Lelouch to the Black Knights again, but she would be seeing him, especially if he stuck to his promise not to abandon her. And she trusted him, trusted him a bit more than her uncle. If her uncle had lied to about Lelouch being alive, what else had he lied to her about? It was a line of thought that she didn't want to linger over too much, it was enough that her big brother had come and disrupted her life, she wasn't ready for another surprise.

Nunnally looked up from her musings as she heard someone approaching, noticing that Lelouch tensed as they walked closer. C.C. paused for a moment, looking at her for a moment before going to sit down beside Lelouch. "You've told her now."

"Yes."

"Good." She sat back. "Then take her with you."

Nunnally gasped, staring at Lelouch as he stood up. She leaned back, using the movement to duck behind Lelouch as he loomed over C.C. "I've told you I can't. It's no place for her."

"I'm not here at your beck and call, Lelouch." C.C. narrowed her eyes. "I took you in for one reason."

"Yes, yes." Lelouch reached up and placed his fingers on his forehead. "And you haven't stopped bugging me about that contract since. But I can't take her back with me, especially with what happened to Kaguya."

"You told them it was a fluke." C.C. leaned forward with a smile on her face. "You said that it would never happen again, and Clovis helped."

Nunnally perked up at the mention of her half brother, startling when Lelouch made a violent gesture. "It could happen again! Euphy could happen again!"

"Oh, I doubt that." C.C. gave Lelouch a smirk, Nunnally sure that she could see her brother blushing. Lelouch's defensive stance slumped a bit, Nunnally sure that she heard C.C. laugh. "Still sulking? I thought you would be doing something productive Lelouch. Surely-"

"Not in front of Nunnally."

C.C. glanced at her, seeming to realize that she was there for the first time. The smirk disappeared from her face and she sighed, leaning back onto her hands. "Fine. You should take her back with you."

"I can't."

Nunnally cleared her throat, the two of them looking back at her, Nunnally surprised to see that Lelouch was still blushing. She straightened herself, trying to look like the princess she was even if she couldn't stand up. "They might decide to kill me if they knew who I am. I assume that Lelouch is able to hide amongst them because he hasn't told them his name."

The woman gave her a nod, the distant look leaving her face for a moment before it snapped back into place. Nunnally didn't quite know what to make of the regard that she had been shown, keeping her straight-backed position.

Lelouch turned to stare at her, giving a long sigh, ducking his head. "Even then, how can I ask them to take her in? They barely have enough for themselves and a cripple would slow them down. And, on the other side, they're a rebellion; they're on the move all the time."

"You've thought this through. And yet, you'll just leave her with me? What about assigning a knight to her?" Nunnally was sure that she didn't imagine the wince that Lelouch gave. "She hasn't revoked her status as a princess; it would be the smart move."

"You wouldn't let anyone else stay here."

"I'm just proposing a way to get rid of a problem." Nunnally didn't know how to take the slow smile that C.C. gave Lelouch, watching as Lelouch's shoulders tipped forward a bit more. C.C. turned her head to the side, giving a long sigh after a moment. "But there's a part of you that won't give him up yet. Despite all of that genius, you won't give him up."

"C.C.-"

"Even when-"

"Shut up!" Nunnally jumped at the shout, watching as Lelouch panted, his hands clenched at his sides. She swallowed and reached out to touch one hand, Lelouch jumping before staring at her for a moment, the anger draining out of him. "We'll talk later, C.C."

He reached down to pick her up, carefully tucking an arm under her knees and pausing to let her wrap her arms around his neck before standing up. Nunnally remained still as he settled her in his arms, worried about the small trembles that she felt. For a moment, she was going to say that she wanted to stay out here and enjoy the sun, her mouth open as she saw Lelouch wince, feeling him favor one side as he walked.

"Lelouch."

He paused for a moment, looking over his shoulder before adjusting her in his arms. "Not now."

"No, Lelouch." Nunnally gasped as Lelouch was spun around by C.C., the woman holding onto one arm and looking around. C.C's usual calm demeanour was gone for a moment before she got herself under control. She straightened up, giving him a shove towards Arthur. "Now. Someone is coming."

Nunnally looked up at her big brother, watching Lelouch narrow his eyes as he clutched her closer. "Suzaku said we had lost them."

She whimpered, clutching at Lelouch. "Did you think he lied?"

"Suzaku wouldn't lie, not about that." Lelouch closed his eyes and took a deep breath before letting it out slowly. "They found their way here anyway."

C.C. shrugged. "They're not going to turn down a chance to find me, and you led them here. Between you coming in and Suzaku leaving that's enough information to start a search." Nunnally stared at her in awe, C.C. turning to gaze to her. "You haven't told her what they want with me either? Lelouch, these secrets will be the death of you."

"Not now, witch." Lelouch pushed her aside and strode over to Arthur, the horse now looking nervous. Lelouch set Nunnally down a good distance away from the charger, sorting through the pile that Suzaku had left on the ground before lifting up a set of saddlebags. He threw them onto Arthur, ignoring the horse's annoyed snort, quickly securing them in place.

"Lelouch?"

"Change in plans." He panted as he lifted up another set of bags, circling the horse and looking for a place to put them before cursing under his breath. Nunnally sat up, watching him tie them to the front of the saddle, taking off the sword and scabbard from the saddle and securing it around his waist. "We're leaving."

"Where?"

"I…" Lelouch paused to look back at C.C, Nunnally following his gaze, amazed to see that the woman didn't seem too worried. She looked back at her brother, watching him put the last of their personal belongings on Arthur. He stared at the charger for a moment before wincing and rushing back over at him. "I don't know."

"Black Knights!"

Lelouch shot a glare at C.C., quickly adjusting the belt with a wince before leaning over to pick up Nunnally. "We'll figure out something else when we're safe. Right now, I'll need you to steer."

"What?"

"I'll handle the sword, you steer the horse." He lifted her from the ground, carrying her to Arthur and helping her onto the horse. Nunnally nervously picked up the reins, Lelouch leading Arthur away from his place and looking back at C.C. "How much time?"

"Minutes."

"How will I find you again?"

She stared at him for a moment before walking over, grabbing his head roughly and pulling him into a kiss. Nunnally's eyes widened as he brother struggled for a moment before relaxing, C.C. backing away at that. C.C. swiped a sleeve across her mouth, giving Lelouch a glare. "I'm getting sick of giving you those. Try and keep me out of trouble for more than a few years."

Lelouch nodded before swinging onto Arthur, the horse grunting at the move. Nunnally glanced back him, watching as Lelouch closing his eyes for a moment, breathing evenly. "I think I've got it."

"Good. And-"

"The contract. I know." Lelouch looked back at her with a smirk, Nunnally following his gaze. "Now save yourself, witch."

C.C. nodded before slipping away. Nunnally stared after her, amazed that she hadn't bothered to get anything from her house. She turned her focus back to steering, taking directions from Lelouch as they guided the horse through the trees.

She felt him shift behind her, his arm brushing against her side as he reached down for his sword. "Lelouch?"

"We'll head to that village, Nunnally. There'll be supporters of the Black Knights there."

"And we'll be safe?"

"Yes."

"And you'll take me with you?"

Lelouch looked down at her. "I just might have to."

Nunnally gave a short nod, looking ahead and waiting for the orders that Lelouch would give her, surprised that he was keeping Arthur at a quick walk. They were probably trying to save their horse for when the people following them gave chase, especially with all the weight that the charger was carrying. She swallowed, feeling her heart beat faster the longer the forest remained silent. Her hands tightened on the reins as she looked around, wondering how Lelouch managed to live like this, she was sure that she would have collapsed from the stress long ago.

They had just returned to the main trail, Lelouch muttering directions to cross it and head through the forest again to get to the village in her ear. Nunnally gave a sharp nod, tugging gently on one rein to head for a gap in the trees, feeling Arthur begin to move faster as Lelouch urged the horse on. They would probably dart across the open space.

They never made it, Nunnally pulling Arthur to a stop on the edge of the trail as a familiar man stepped out of the woods on the other side. V.V. looked up at the two of them before smiling. "Well, you've proven to be resilient, Lelouch. We thought you were dead when we found you before."

"Liar!"

Nunnally was shocked at the outburst from her brother, her attention directed back to the black horse that was sidling nervously under them. She quickly reached out to calm Arthur, looking between their uncle and her brother.

Her heart sunk as her uncle shrugged, raising a hand. Nunnally gasped as a handful of men walked out of the woods, two of them setting arrows on bowstrings, both of the arrows aimed at Lelouch. Nunnally gasped and shifted to protect her brother, the move earning a disappointed sigh from V.V. "I warned you about his kind, Nunnally. Please, just come with me and forget about all of this."

"Y-you told me that he was dead."

"He might as well be. He's made a deal with a witch; he's going to die in the end." V.V. held out a hand. "Now come on, before your Geass gets out of control."

Nunnally yelped in surprise as Lelouch nudged Arthur to one side, turning around to see him peeling the illusion back from his eye. "No!"

V.V. stared at him, the smile on his face never faltering. "And you will stop me? Without the full force of the Black Knights behind you? Have you done anything without them, Lelouch?"

Nunnally tensed as she heard the sound of the sword being drawn. The blade appeared in her line of vision before Lelouch lowered it, the threat obvious. And V.V. just laughed, taking a step back and allowing the other men to step forward. Nunnally's hands twitched on the reins. "Lelouch…"

"Don't worry."

She wanted to believe him, but she could still see the smile on her uncle's face and felt herself shiver. It was just Lelouch against five other men, five other men who probably had more combat experience than him. Nunnally looked around, waiting for Suzaku to come charging in, like the knights always did in the fairytales. She ignored the fact that they were just stories for children, wishing with all of her heart that some parts of them were true.

Nunnally felt Lelouch's hand on her back, guiding her to lean forward, turning her head to watch as he shifted his grip on the sword, bringing it up in front of them. She looked away, her gaze falling on the archers. The hand that Lelouch had on her back twitched. "Hang on, Nunnally."

She gave a nod, Arthur moving under Lelouch's command. They had a moment of stillness before Lelouch kicked the charger, Arthur snorting and lunging forward.

Nunnally shut her eyes; hearing the twang of the bowstrings and expecting to have Arthur suddenly crash to the ground. Instead, she felt Lelouch tilt in the saddle, reaching back fearfully and opening her eyes, only to watch as her brother calmly hacked at one of the men, his sword getting stuck in one of the man's arms. She heard her brother curse, Lelouch reaching forward with one hand to take the reins and pull Arthur around, using the time to yank his sword out of the man. Then they were galloping off again, leaving V.V. and his men behind them.

She sat up, turning to look behind her a shiver running down her spine as she realized her uncle was still smiling. Nunnally was about to tell this to Lelouch, her focus shifting quickly as he wheeled Arthur around, heading off in a completely different direction. There was a muffled order from the trees ahead of them before a volley of arrows appeared.

Arthur squealed and bucked, Nunnally reaching forward to grab onto his mane, guessing that one arrow had found its mark. She felt others skim over her, almost sure that she could hear V.V. shouting at the archers not to hit her. She wanted to sit up to see if it were true, only for Lelouch to push her back down again, whispering that she had to stay low. Nunnally clung to the mane, closing her eyes as she felt Lelouch sit up behind her, presenting himself as a target. "Big brother?"

"Almost there, Nunnally."

She looked up at that, surprised to see that they were heading back to the trail. If they did that, then any men that V.V. could have assembled on horseback could get them. But, then again, it did mean that there wouldn't be any more archers.

"The trail runs straight into town follow it-" Lelouch cut himself off with a muffled grunt, Nunnally wanting to turn back around only to have Lelouch keep the pressure on her back. When he spoke again, he sounded a bit breathless. "Follow it no matter what."

Nunnally nodded, gathering up the reins again and forcing herself to keep her eyes open. Lelouch was just trying to protect her; she had to show that she could survive like this. She didn't want to be left behind again, even if it meant siding with the Black Knights. Maybe they were her best chance if her uncle had lied to her as much as she thought he had, and then she could be with her brother.

They galloped out onto the trail, Nunnally keeping Arthur on a straight path. She glanced to the side, glad to see that they were in the clear now, feeling herself relax. Their uncle had probably predicted the path they would take and made sure to cover that, which meant the trail would be free of traps.

She regretted thinking that a moment later, a shout from beside them making her twist. A man jumped out of a tree, grabbing a hold of Lelouch and tackling him to the ground. Nunnally immediately pulled Arthur up and swung the charger around, feeling herself slide slightly with the movement. She reached forward to clutch and the horse's mane, trying to find a way to steady herself. She had only ever ridden when Lelouch or Suzaku, her legs wouldn't hold her in place. But, without her legs, she couldn't get the horse to move either. Thankfully Arthur wasn't stopping, backing up before lunging forward, never moving far from where Lelouch and the man grappled on the ground.

Nunnally turned Arthur towards them, hoping the scare the man off with the larger horse, but he was too focused on Lelouch, Nunnally gritting her teeth before slapping the excess rein against Arthur's shoulder. The horse whinnied and almost reared, Nunnally clawing for a hold so she wouldn't fall off. She leaned forward, letting out a sigh of relief when Arthur set all four hooves on the ground again, turning the nervous horse back towards the two on the ground only for him to shy again.

She gritted her teeth, looking down to see the man holding Lelouch down pull out a knife. Nunnally narrowed her eyes and spun Arthur around, slapping the charger on the neck with the reins again. As expected, the horse reacted to the encouragement, trying to race forward only to be pulled back by the pressure on the reins. Frustrated by this, Arthur tried to rear, Nunnally leaning forward to keep most of the weight on the charger's front end. With all his other avenues of escape blocked, Arthur lashed out with his hind legs, Nunnally wincing at the sound of them connecting with the man's head.

She closed her eyes for a moment before peering over her shoulder, her stomach rolling at the mess that Arthur's hooves had made of the man's head, preferring to look at her brother as Lelouch stood up, rushing back over to her. "Nunnally!"

"I'm alright." She swallowed, averting her eyes quickly. "I'm alright."

Lelouch patted her leg before jumping back onto the horse, the move slow and halting instead of the usual graceful mount. He was kicking Arthur forward before she had a chance to question in, the charger seemingly glad to run away from the dead man on the trail. Nunnally gave Arthur his head, tensing when she felt Lelouch slump forward, her brother resting against her for a moment before struggling to sit back up. She reached back with one hand, the other one still clutching the reins, placing it on his side to help him sit back up.

Nunnally froze at the feeling of something warm underneath her hand, warm and sticky. She lifted it from Lelouch's side, bringing it back around so she could stare at it. Her mouth dropped open at the sight of blood coating her hand, Nunnally feeling herself beginning to shake. "Lelouch?"

Her answer was a soft groan, Nunnally chancing the look back to see Lelouch awkwardly shoving his sword back into the scabbard around his waist before his hand reached up to press against his side, his shirt already discolored where the blood had soaked through. He flinched, slumping forward again, Nunnally reaching back to catch him. "Are you alright?"

"I'll be fine, Nunnally." He stumbled over her name. "K-keep going."

"But-"

"We'll stop when it's safe." She felt his forehead rest against her shoulder, Lelouch letting it remain there for a moment before he pulled himself back up. Nunnally bit her lip but forced herself to nod, hoping that Arthur would be able to keep up his pace until they reached the village. There, she would find those loyal to the Black Knights and see if there was any way she could help her brother.

* * *

Suzaku led Lancelot down the street in the village, ignoring the way the horse nudged at his back. The charger was probably missing Arthur and wanting to go back. Lelouch's horse had been Lancelot's only company since Suzaku had rejoined Lelouch, the two of them spending almost all their time together. He reached back to pet Lancelot. How the two managed to be such great friends when their owners hated each other was a mystery to him.

He sighed and looked around at the town. He had been hoping to cover more ground and get to Clovis' castle or at least halfway there. Now that he wasn't leading two heavily laden horses it would be easier to cover the distance faster. Besides, he could push Lancelot at a gallop for most of the time without worrying, the news he had heard when he had gotten here had been good.

The Black Knights were patrolling to look for escaped Britannian soldiers and keeping the peace as the old system of government was restored. What worried the people though was the fact that Zero hadn't been seen since the battle that had won them their freedom, something that was being set aside for the preparations for Remembrance Day. Still, they wouldn't be so complacent the longer their hero wasn't visible, it could give them the wrong ideas, like the idea that Zero had died in battle.

It would be bad for morale and the fledgling government if they were allowed to think that; even though Suzaku found himself wishing that it had already happened.

He shook his head at that thought, reaching up to rub his forehead. What scared him most was the fact that some part of him really wanted it, wanted that Lelouch would just die so he wouldn't have to deal with the mixture of regret and anger. If Lelouch died, then he could just move on and free himself from the rebellion that he had fallen in with. He could go to Pendragon and start from scratch there, no one would know him there as Princess Euphemia's knight. Or he could return to where his village once was and try to earn a living there. Neither idea appealed to him.

What he really wanted to do was go back to that horrible night when Euphy had died and take it all back. But, even then, he wasn't sure about what he meant. He knew that he wanted to be there to prevent Euphy from dying, but he didn't know what exactly to take back, the stolen day with Lelouch or his words.

 _"He doesn't mean anything to me, Euphy. I love you, remember?"_

Suzaku shook his head, Lancelot taking the moment to try and head back, only to be stopped by a sharp tug on the reins. Suzaku glared at his horse before continuing his slow trudge back through the village. He wouldn't stay here for the night; he didn't want to be around people at the moment. He would find a place on the outskirts, in the forest, and wait until morning to try again. Hopefully it would not turn into a repeat of today, standing on the road away from the village, first on Lancelot and then on the ground holding the charger before deciding to give up just as the sun was beginning to set.

At least he could have figured out what had been bothering him enough to not allow him to ride back to the Black Knights, even if some part wanted to blame his initial hesitation on Lancelot because the charger had refused to move forward from that point. But then he had stopped as well, just staring down the road. And he had kept staring, trying to sort out his thoughts but getting nowhere.

He led the charger out of the village and into the woods. There was a chance that the people would recognize him or Lancelot and flock to him. Zero's knight was as much of a hero as Zero himself. Then he would have to smile and pretend that he liked what he was doing, he liked helping Lelouch kill people to free the Areas. And then they would ask where Zero was, because the masked man never traveled without his loyal knight at his side.

Suzaku flinched at that, leaning forward to stare at the ground. How Lelouch stood it he would never know. Lelouch was lying to the people that he was trying to save, saying that he wanted to help them when he was just using them to get revenge on the empire and find Nunnally. He was lying to them when he said that he was giving them their freedom, because Britannia would just rise up again as soon as Charles died and one of his sons took the throne. And Suzaku was lying when he played the loyal knight; he was just another person with nowhere to go, kept in place by habit. He was lying when he acted like he supported Zero and when he pretended that he was friends with Lelouch.

The Lelouch that he had known eight years ago would have never used his Geass on him.

Lancelot snorted and stopped, Suzaku turning around to stare at the horse. The charger just stared back at him. Suzaku gave a halfhearted tug on the reins, hoping that Lancelot would move, sighing when the charger remained still. He shook his head, looking around before turning to his right, heading towards the sound of running water. He would bow to his horse's desire to stop for now, the old feeling of exhaustion back. But he would choose the campsite. Thankfully, Lancelot was more than willing to follow him this time, walking docilely at the end of the reins.

He tied the horse up when he found a good spot to camp, taking some of the saddlebags from Lancelot's back and tossing them to the ground. He removed the saddle from his horse as an afterthought. Lancelot would be in a worse mood if he left the saddle on and that was sure to get him stuck at that same place. The saddle was placed on the ground, Suzaku ripping up a handful of grass to use to rub down the charger's back.

He set to rubbing the horse down, trying to focus on the task completely instead of letting his mind wander, failing at that task as well. He shouldn't have left in the first place, not with Lelouch distracted by Nunnally. Then again, he shouldn't have left because of Nunnally. He didn't trust that witch enough to keep her safe, not now that she was so focused on the end of their contract and he didn't think that Lelouch was thinking far enough ahead to that point when he would have to kill the witch.

Then again, it would just be another transfer of his loyalty. He already was Lelouch's knight, albeit a bit against his will… Although that wasn't quite true, there had been a time in his life when he had wanted to be Lelouch's knight. But he had been ten and had barely known better. Besides, Lelouch had been his best friend at the time, his only friend aside from Kaguya. It was only logical that he had decided to cling to Lelouch no matter how much he had hated the boy's arrogance and obvious disdain for him.

Suzaku groaned and threw the grass down, storming around the small area he had picked out and grabbing wood to make a fire. He ignored the annoyed glances that Lancelot was shooting him, settling down on the ground and poking morosely at the fire, waiting for it to grow large enough to cook something on, even if he didn't feel like eating. Then again, the Geass would probably activate if he didn't.

He threw the stick down and ran his hands through his hair, leaning forward with a long sigh. There was no way he was going to be able to sort through this, he had gotten himself trapped, although finding that point where this mess started was difficult. He couldn't decide whether it was when he had pledged himself to Lelouch after Euphy's death or when he had left C.C. and the others all those years. He rubbed his hands over his face before deciding to forget about it. Nothing would change the past; he just had to get out of this mess.

But he didn't want to abandon Lelouch, because she was Euphy's brother. Or was that the reason? He didn't know anymore, everything had been confused once Euphy had died; he hadn't been able to think straight. There were still times when he wanted nothing more than to pull Lelouch close and…

Suzaku groaned, allowing himself to flop backwards, staring up at the sky. Damn Lelouch. Damn everything.

He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. It would have been easier if they stopped fluctuating between hating each other, being the best of friends and acting like lovers; if they just settled for one of them, preferably being just friends.

He slowly opened his eyes as he heard Lancelot snort, staring at the charger before going back to his study of the sky. He was interrupted again by Lancelot, Suzaku sitting up to stare at the horse as he sidled to one side. Suzaku clambered up to his feet, reaching for his sword only to realize that he had left it with the packs on the other side of the fire. He let his hand clench by his side, keeping his gaze on the trees.

He heard the sound of hoof beats a moment before Lancelot whinnied, pulling at his tie. Suzaku watched his horse carefully before edging over to where his sword was, leaning over to pull it out of its scabbard. He stood up quickly as the horse burst through the trees, the sword dropping out of his hand as he recognized Arthur. The black charger snorted and wheeled around, giving Suzaku a glance at the two who were clinging to his back.

Suzaku rushed forward, reaching up to grab onto Arthur's reins and helped to bring the charger to a stop, staring openly at the scratches on the horse. He reached out to pet Arthur's neck, barely moving out of the way fast enough to avoid getting his hand bitten. Automatically he shook his hand, even though he hadn't gotten bitten, staring at the horse before looking back at the riders. "Nunnally?"

"Suzaku!" She leaned over to touch his hand, Suzaku expecting a smile from her only to be met with a worried look. Nunnally's grip tightened on his hand. "You have to help us."

"W-what?"

Nunnally turned Arthur, Suzaku clinging to the reins to keep the horse from startling. He gave Arthur a quick pet, moving his hand as he was snapped at. He kept one hand firmly on the reins as he steadied Arthur, staring at the second rider slumped against Nunnally. Suzaku blinked quickly, dropping his hold on the reins and reaching up to stop Lelouch from tumbling off the horse. "What happened?"

"We were attacked. My uncle tried to get me back so we ran." Nunnally sniffed and reached up to wipe the tears away from her cheeks. Suzaku reached out to help her down, having to pry Lelouch's arm from her. He cursed as Nunnally finally slid off of the saddle, having to reach up with one hand to make sure that Lelouch didn't fall off Arthur. He stared at the two of them, trying to keep a steady hold on both of them. He turned back to look at Nunally as she tugged on his shirt. "Can you help him?"

Suzaku gave her a frightened nod, switching his hold on the horse to lead Arthur over to where Lancelot stood. He tied up the charger up beside his horse, ducking out of the way of Lancelot as the charger reached out to touch his friend. Suzaku glanced up at Lelouch before quickly hurrying away to set Nunnally down by the fire, rushing back over to Arthur to lift Lelouch down before he fell.

He got a quick glance before Lelouch slumped in his arms, Suzaku awkwardly fixing his hold on Lelouch, only to freeze when he felt something sticky on his arm. He shuddered and quickly brought his friend over to where Nunnally was sitting. Lelouch groaned as he was set down, Suzaku muttering an apology to him before sitting back up, staring at the blood that was on his arm. "Where did…"

"A man knocked him off the horse. I think he was stabbed."

"Wasn't stabbed." Lelouch flinched, pushing Suzaku's hands away and trying to sit up. "Just opened…again…"

"Again?" Nunnally leaned forward, pressing a hand to Lelouch's shoulder in an attempt to keep him down, staring at Suzaku in shock. The knight gave her a smile before shaking his head. "Lelouch, you said again."

Lelouch winced and turned his head away, Suzaku rolling his eyes and helping Lelouch sit up, ignoring Nunnally's gasp of shock. He steadied Lelouch, using his free hand to roll up the prince's shirt to expose the wound. As his fingers pressed against the skin around it, he felt Lelouch flinch in his arms, Suzaku shifting the prince so Lelouch's head was resting on his shoulder. He was sure that it was just his imagination or the blood loss getting to Lelouch that caused the prince to tilt his head to the side, Lelouch's lips slipping across Suzaku's skin in an almost kiss.

He shivered, forcing himself to focus on the wound, carefully spreading the skin apart with his fingers and ignoring the wince that Lelouch gave. To his eyes the wound just looked like it had been made longer, not deeper, which was a relief; although it was still bleeding freely. Suzaku narrowed his eyes and lifted his fingers away, feeling Lelouch relax against him. "You tore the stitches."

"Climbing the tower." Lelouch sucked in a deep breath, Suzaku watching as the prince's usual mask of indifference was pulled back down again. "But it started to heal."

"Until some man tried to stab you."

"He never got the chance. I used Geass on him." Lelouch gave him a grin. Suzaku just stared before rolling his eyes and beginning to slide Lelouch's shirt up further, stopping when the material was bunched up at his chest. He then reached down for his knife, fumbling for it before managing to get it out of his belt. Suzaku clumsily tossed it over towards the fire, smiling when it landed close enough to its destination.

"I don't have anything to sew that up with."

"Damn it." Lelouch bit his lip and closed his eyes before slumping against Suzaku. "Fine. Do it."

Suzaku nodded, carefully lowering Lelouch back to the ground before scooting closer to the fire and adjusting the position of his knife so the blade was in the flames. He made sure that the knife would stay in place before walking over to his bags, digging through them in search of something that Lelouch could bite down on, only coming up with one of his worn out gloves. Suzaku scowled at it before tucking it into his belt.

He made his way back to the two, glancing at his knife to check on its progress before squatting by Lelouch. Suzaku stared at his friend before reaching out and putting a hand on Lelouch's shoulder, surprised at the smile that appeared on Lelouch's face. He reached up to place his hand over Suzaku's wincing and settling for brushing his fingers over Suzaku's hand before dropping his own.

Suzaku sighed, pulling out the glove and dropping it onto Lelouch's stomach before getting up to pick up Nunnally. The princess was silent during the move, looking down at her brother and clinging to Suzaku. He set her down by Lelouch's shoulders. "Nunnally, I'm going to need your help. You need to hold him down so he doesn't hurt himself."

She nodded, placing her hands on his shoulders. Suzaku smiled at her before looking down at the wound, staring at it for a moment before sighing and swinging his leg over Lelouch, straddling the prince. The move caused Nunnally to gasp and Lelouch to raise an eyebrow. Suzaku gave a low chuckle before stuffing the glove into Lelouch's mouth. "Shut up."

Lelouch looked affronted at the move before relaxing, Nunnally taking that as her cue to grab onto his shoulders and lean onto them. She nodded at Suzaku when she was ready, the knight taking a deep breath as he looked at his knife. He took it out of the fire, holding the knife with one hand while the other rested on Lelouch's hip. "Ready?"

The prince gave a curt nod, Suzaku feeling him flinch away as the knife was brought down. He hesitated, the knife hovering over the bleeding gash before he shook his head and pressed the hot blade against Lelouch's skin. It took a moment, and then Lelouch was arching up with a muffled scream of pain. Suzaku looked up to see Lelouch's jaw tense as he bit down on the glove, losing the struggle not to jerk away from the knife. Suzaku grunted and exerted more pressure, Nunnally doing the same from her position. Unable to wiggle away, Lelouch just remained still and trembled.

Suzaku tipped his head to the side, lifting the knife away from Lelouch's side to stare at the wound, letting out a long sigh of relief when he saw that it was closed. He threw his knife to the side, leaning forward to press his forehead against Lelouch's shoulder as his friend continued to tremble, taking slow breaths to calm himself down. "Sorry, I'm sorry."

"Idiot." The word was muffled as Lelouch worked the glove out of his mouth. The prince spat the glove out and gave a long sigh. "It had to be done."

"Sorry."

Lelouch sighed, Suzaku relaxing a fraction when he felt Lelouch tangle his fingers into his hair, leaning into the slight caress. They stayed like that for a short while before Lelouch jerked his shoulder, a silent command for Suzaku to get up. He smiled at same up, aware that Nunnally was staring at them. Suzaku sighed and swung his leg back over Lelouch, kneeling on the ground to stare at the wound.

The area was red and still tender to the touch, judging by Lelouch's flinch, but it would hold. He splayed his fingers out over the wound, gently prodding to double check it before sitting up.

Suzaku stared at the two of them, suddenly at a loss of what to do. He had hoped to run away from them and try to sort out his life, but it appeared that he wouldn't be allowed to. Nunnally would never leave Lelouch behind and, since she had sided with him, their uncle would never take her back. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, giving up and slumping.

"Suzaku?" He glanced up as Nunnally reached out to touch his hand, a smile on her face. "Thank you."

He found himself nodding, placing his hand on top of hers. "You're welcome, Nunnally."


	8. Establishing Facts

** Chapter Seven: Establishing Facts **

Suzaku stared into the fire, reaching out to turn one of the sticks to make sure the fish was cooking evenly, looking up with a smile as Nunnally made a sound of contentment. The princess sat back with a long sigh, placing her stick to the side. "That was amazing."

"Really?" Suzaku chuckled before removing his fish, staring at it before shrugging and biting into it. "It's nothing special."

"It is to me." Nunnally glanced down before looking up with the smile back on her face, Suzaku not having the time to apologize for his offhand comment. She looked down at his lap before taking the final fish away from the fire. "But I think I can manage one more, since it seems that big brother is too comfortable to eat."

Suzaku blushed and looked down at his lap, Lelouch's head settled comfortably there. He dropped one hand to rest on his friend's shoulder, giving it a quick rub before turning his attention completely back to his dinner. "His loss."

"Suzaku, that's cruel!" Nunnally hid her laugh in the sleeve of her dress, trying to give him a stern glare. "He's already skinny enough."

"It's not my job to make sure that he eats. I swore to protect him and be his sword, not his baby sitter." Nunnally laughed at that, Suzaku turning the stick in his fingers and trying to keep up his own smile. The reminder of his own promise was doing nothing to help his resolve to get out of contact with Lelouch as soon as possible. He had promised that to the prince on the ride back from burying Euphy and later when he had been in his right mind, or as close as he could get to it with the Geass on him. He had meant it both times, but did the Geass change anything about it?

Lelouch had just ordered him to live; it wasn't as bad as the other things that Suzaku had seen his friend do. But the fact that the Geass had been used on him was still abhorrent to him, to think that there was something that could easily work against his will sent a shiver down his spine. He liked to know that he was in control of himself; it was the only thing he was sure of in this world. There were so many things that could go wrong, but at least he could control himself, at least he had his free will.

Or he had once had his free will before Lelouch.

But, then again, what kind of command was 'live'? A command like that would just keep Suzaku from dying, but nothing else. It was unlike Lelouch to use his power without thinking through all of the possibilities to come up with the phrasing that he would need to exploit that person to the fullest. And yet, he had just commanded Suzaku to live.

"Suzaku?" He looked up at Nunnally's question, watching as the princess picked the scales off of her fish, flicking them to the ground. "You've been big brother's friend for a while now, right?" He nodded slowly, Nunnally glancing at him quickly before looking back down at the ground. "What do you know about the Black Knights?"

"Wha-"

"After what just happened, I can't go back to my uncle." Nunnally sat up straight, glaring into the fire. "I don't know why he would want to kill Lelouch, but he does. He's the only family I have left, Suzaku, so I won't put him in danger by allowing myself to be hidden somewhere far away from him. But I do want to know if I can live with the Black Knights without a burden."

Suzaku blinked rapidly before smiling at her. "We'll have to find you something to do, but I'm sure that it'll be alright." He took a bite of his fish, chewing thoughtfully before smiling. "We could use someone to organize the camp. It's hasn't fallen apart completely, but Lelouch can only do so much on his own."

Nunnally tilted her head to the side, a smile still on her face. "I think I would like that." Suzaku watched as her eyes dropped to his lap, surprised as the princess' smile softened. "So, how long have the two of you been friends?"

He glanced down at Lelouch, surprised to find that his fingers had tangled in the prince's hair, slowly stroking through the black strands. Suzaku swallowed, tempted to stop but unable to when Lelouch gave a soft sigh, pressing his cheek against Suzaku's thigh and settling into a better position.

Nunnally giggled, Suzaku looking up abruptly at her. She smiled and gestured at Lelouch. "Sorry, I've never seen him that relaxed. I'm guessing that he's usually on edge."

"It comes with the life." She nodded slowly, leaning forward and placing her hands on her knees, staring at her brother with a fond smile on her face. Suzaku sighed, looking down at Lelouch and continuing his gentle stroking. "We met when we were ten. My cousin and I found Lelouch and C.C. when we needed them. I was Lelouch's only friend for a while."

Suzaku bit his lip and turned his head away, shuddering as he remembered the time that he had offered himself up as bait to let the three of them go free. His gaze dropped to his wrist where the faint scars still were, licking his lips and swallowing slowly. "We were separated for a bit before I found my way back to him."

"And you became his knight?"

"No. I was Euphemia's knight first." Suzaku ducked his head, his hand rising from Lelouch's hair to rub over his face. "I became Lelouch's knight after she died."

"Zero killed her."

Suzaku stared at Nunnally before shaking his head. "It was a horrible accident." He bit his lip, staring at the ground. Zero might as well have killed her; he wasn't where he had needed to be. But still, it was partially his fault as well. "Just an accident."

Nunnally shook her head, Suzaku glad that the subject seemed to be dropped for the moment. He wasn't sure if he wanted to go into the complicated chain of events that led to her half sister's death. He wasn't sure if he would be able to get out of the aftermath if Lelouch learned that he had told Nunnally. Suzaku flinched at the idea, glancing down and continuing to stroke Lelouch's hair when his friend whimpered.

Lelouch's hand came up to rest on his knee, Suzaku jumping at the contact. He leaned forward to look at Lelouch's face, worried at the pained expression. Lelouch's hand clenched on the fabric of his trousers, Suzaku sure that he heard another whimper from his friend.

He leaned forward to prop his fish back up by the fire, taking his free hand and placing it over Lelouch's. The prince pressed closer to him, twitching and muttering something under his breath. Suzaku brushed a hand over Lelouch's hair, looking up at Nunnally to give her a reassuring smile. "He has nightmares."

"Nightmares? About the night our kidnappers tried to kill him?"

Suzaku stared at her, trying to figure out what she was talking about. He finally settled for shaking his head. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Nunnally nodded slowly. "The night I was kidnapped, Lelouch followed the kidnappers and got caught himself. He tried to escape with me, but they found us and they...they hurt him horribly and left him for dead." She reached up to wipe her cheeks, taking a deep breath. "They broke my hip so that I couldn't try to escape, even though I was too young to do so. Uncle V.V. came to save me later, so C.C. must have done the same to Lelouch."

Suzaku felt his mouth drop open, swallowing quickly and looking away to gather himself together. Lelouch had told him the story of what had happened that night, and it was nothing like that. He shook his head, shifting nervously and freezing when Lelouch whimpered again. "I'm not sure. He doesn't speak about them, during or after."

Suzaku untangled his fingers from Lelouch's hair, attempting to raise his hand only to have Lelouch reach up to grab it. He scrambled at it for a moment before giving an annoyed groan, flipping the hand that had been resting on Suzaku's knee and entwining their fingers, bringing their joined hands close to his chest. Suzaku blushed but allowed Lelouch the comfort. He waited for Lelouch to let go of his other hand before he lowered it back into the prince's hair, going back to his slow stroking. "The worse they are, the less he wants to talk about them."

"And you just let him?"

"What else can I do?" Suzaku shrugged.

"Well, it's over now, isn't it?"

He felt Lelouch squeeze his hand, sighing wistfully and looking back at the remaining fish. Lelouch had to eat before they moved out in the morning or else he would be less than useless. Suzaku gave Lelouch's shoulder a gentle shake, smiling at the soft groan. "Come on now, get up."

Lelouch opened an eye. "Why?"

Suzaku picked up the fish that he had been nibbling on and held it in front of Lelouch. The prince stared blearily at the stick before sitting up, still not letting go of Suzaku's hand. He took the food and bolted it down, Suzaku shaking his head at the behavior. Usually Lelouch was very careful when he ate, keeping his princely manners despite the teasing he had gotten from Suzaku and the few others that knew his identity; Lelouch was very far gone if he was eating like this.

The stick was thrown into the fire before Lelouch settled back down with a yawn, drifting back off to sleep. "Don't wake me up again."

"Of course." Suzaku smiled as Lelouch grumbled, reaching down to tangle his fingers in Lelouch's hair. The move got a soft sigh, Lelouch pressing his cheek against Suzaku's thigh. The knight shook his head, giving a halfhearted attempt to free his other hand before giving up. He sighed and went back to staring into the fire, enjoying the warmth of Lelouch against him.

He heard Nunnally giggle, raising an eyebrow but continuing his study of the fire. "You two are so cute together."

That got a short chuckle out of him. "Never thought I would hear that."

"No, you are." Nunnally leaned her chin onto her palm, Suzaku turning to look at her as her gaze stayed on them a while longer. "You're really a good team. Big brother was…he was out of sorts when you left."

Suzaku bit his lip at that; sure that Lelouch wouldn't want her to know the details of their relationship. Still, the fact that she admitted to Lelouch sulking sent a pang of guilt through him, but it wasn't his fault; he had made it clear that he didn't think of Lelouch that way. Never verbally, but he thought that the intentions were clear enough on the subject, until he slipped up and they were like this. Suzaku suddenly wished that he had a hard surface to knock his head against.

Of course he hadn't been clear to Lelouch, but everything had been confused under the influence of hormones and grief and he still couldn't sort it out. He knew that it was his fault that Euphy was dead, equally his and Lelouch's fault. They had lost control, multiple times, when they should have been paying attention. Then again, neither of them had settled anything; just let it lie because it was safer that way.

He looked up as Nunnally yawned, reaching back for a blanket and pulling it over her. "Good night Suzaku."

"Good night, Nunnally." He shut his eyes with a sigh, glancing down at Lelouch. Pushing dirt over the fire to smother it was out of the question the way they were tangled together, and Lelouch showed no signs of letting go. He sighed, glancing at the dying fire before shrugging; it would be out in a moment and then he would go to sleep. They were safe enough here, V.V. wouldn't look for them on their own any longer, not with a village of Black Knights supporters just up the road.

Suzaku freed one hand, reaching back for a saddlebag before lifting up Lelouch's head so he could slide it under. He fumbled for a blanket as he twisted to settle down behind Lelouch, grunting in surprise as the prince moved closer to him, still clinging to that one hand. Suzaku froze in an uncomfortable position, one arm twisted above his head and the other groping behind him for the blanket. He gave a long sigh; awkwardly lifting himself up from the ground to pull his hand from Lelouch's ignoring the whimper from the prince.

He pulled the blanket over the two of them, only then giving into the frantic attempts by Lelouch to try and get his hand back. Suzaku allowed him to catch a hand, watching in surprise as the simple motion seemed enough to calm the prince down. He propped himself up on his other elbow, watching as Lelouch relaxed, sliding his fingers against Suzaku's as he took a deep breath. Lelouch leaned back against him, the motion tugging his arm around Lelouch's waist. There was another sigh from the prince, Lelouch tipping his head back and settling down again.

Suzaku stared at his sleeping friend, swallowing before laying his head down on the bags, staring at the back of Lelouch's neck. He hadn't done this since the night of Euphemia's death, and it was strangely comforting. Without meaning to, he leaned forward, burying his nose in Lelouch's hair and taking a deep breath. He found himself relaxing again, wanting to laugh when he realized what he was doing.

Around Euphy he had never been this relaxed, always tense and on edge because he didn't quite know how to handle her. She had always been the princess while Lelouch was just his childhood playmate, and he had loved her because she was a princess and far away, he had never felt that he loved her when she allowed herself to be brought to the same level as he and Lelouch; he wanted her to remain pure and innocent, at least in his mind. He was in love with the ideas that she had represented, but never her.

He wanted to laugh, muffling the short chuckle that managed to escape in Lelouch's hair. He had loved Euphy, the woman, like a sister but loved Princess Euphemia for what she represented.

He must have been tired for him to be thinking like this, or he could blame it on Lelouch's close proximity to him; Lelouch had always made his thoughts run haywire. Suzaku rolled his eyes and pulled Lelouch closer, his smiling widening as their legs tangled together. Lelouch was going to be furious at him when he woke up, but Suzaku couldn't bring himself to care. Right now, with Lelouch in his arms, he was more content than he had been in a long while.

* * *

Nunnally opened one eye, staring at the dead fire before lifing her head from the ground, pushing herself up to get something to rest her head on. She froze as she saw two indistinct shapes on the other side of the fire, smiling as she recognized her brother and his knight. She pulled the blanket around her and pushed herself all the way up into a sitting position, staring at the two. When she had said that they were close, she hadn't expected that, she had just assumed that they were very good friends. Then again, it was good that Lelouch had someone like Suzaku close to him, being a prince in hiding seemed like a very lonely life. She was glad that she had Lelouch going into this life.

She adjusted the blanket around her, reaching back to rest a hand on her ankle to keep her balance. She had almost come close to losing her brother today. If she hadn't have found Suzaku, she had no idea what she would have done. A life in a tower had just made her useless, something that was being proven to her frighteningly fast. If this was what she was like in the real world, what would her reign be like if Uncle V.V's plans had gone through? Nunnally rubbed her arms and shivered; she would have been a useless ruler, dependent entirely on V.V.

A rule like that would have been harmful to the people and the Areas. She didn't know what V.V's plans were other than to eliminate the witch that gave the royal family the power of Geass. She didn't even know if he would stop after that. Would he go after the only members of family that she had left? Would he try to kill Lelouch again?

She swallowed and clutched the blanket tighter around her body, letting out a long sigh after she had calmed down. There had to be something that she could do to avoid being used like that. The best course of action would be to ally herself with someone that she could trust, but she couldn't bring Lelouch back into this. And she certainly didn't want to bring the Black Knights into this, not when Britannia hated them so much.

Nunnally sighed, glancing up at her brother and his knight, smiling at the picture that the two made. If they were relaxed then she assumed that she could too, she would always be safe with those two around. She nodded to herself, pushing her worries to the side to wait until morning, her eyes widening as she realized what the next day was. Remembrance Day, the day that she had wanted to witness for what seemed like her entire life. She would wait until evening then, after all of the candles had been floated to talk to Lelouch about what to do. If there was no other way for her to live, then she would chose to go with him to the Black Knights. Pendragon was closed to her; she would just be fed more lies and manipulated.

There didn't seem to be a way out of her situation, and she still didn't like the idea of the Black Knights. She dreaded the possibility of meeting Zero. Despite what Suzaku had said about Euphemia, she didn't know if she trusted the man; he had still killed the others.

Nunnally yawned, shaking her head in a futile attempt to stay awake. She wanted to just look at the area for a moment longer and memorize the beauty, something that was becoming increasingly important to her since the attack. Before, the idea of going back to the tower had been a vague fear, but it had been made real when V.V. had tried to take her back. And it had made her realize how vulnerable her happiness really was. She didn't want to lose her brother so soon.

She looked up abruptly as the horses snorted, both of them trying to turn and look at someone coming towards them. Nunnally swallowed nervously before glancing over at the two sleeping boys, she should wake them now, ask one of them to set up a guard. She threw the blanket off and began to drag herself around the fire when a chuckle right by her ear made her stop.

Panicking, she turned around, reaching out to hit the person behind her only to have her hand grabbed. "Is that any way to greet your uncle, Nunnally?"

V.V. smiled at her before settling onto the ground beside her, still holding onto her hand. Nunnally shot him a frightened look before glancing to where her brother and his knight were. Suzaku would have his sword by him and Lelouch's was with his stuff by the horses. If she could just pull away from V.V. and get something to defend herself or wake one of the boys…

"Nunnally," a tug on her hand turned her attention back to V.V, "I am speaking to you."

"No. I don't want to go back and I don't want to talk to you!"

He released her hand, moving back away from her. Nunnally watched him carefully, noting that V.V. kept his hand where she could see them, but he didn't leave. She frowned and went to pull herself towards the nearest weapon, stopping when she heard her uncle sigh. "I come to warn you and you do this."

"Warn me?" Nunnally turned to look at him, not stopping her slow movement around the fire.

V.V. just nodded, leaning forward to stare at the dying embers of the fire. "I've recently gained new intelligence about Zero and the Black Knights. I assume that Lelouch wants to take you to them." Nunnally opened her mouth to speak only to be cut off as V.V. looked up at her. "Have you considered that he's only doing this to keep himself alive?"

"He's my big brother."

"That meant nothing when Zero decided to kill Euphemia and Clovis. Family means nothing to him because of his upbringing."

"You left him to die!"

"Yes." V.V. folded his hands in his lap. "I admit to that and wish that I had stopped, either to save him or kill him. It would have saved him from making a contract with a witch."

"He wouldn't."

"He has." V.V. glared at her, his gaze softening a moment later. "You trust him so easily; Nunnally, but you don't question any of his actions. You met him not a week ago and you trust him with your life."

Nunnally straightened herself up. "He's my big brother, the only family that I have left. He's the only one that hasn't lied to me."

V.V. laughed quietly at that. "Everyone lies, Nunnally, he just might not be so obvious about it around you." Her uncle sighed and stood up, brushing himself off before looking off into the woods. "Well, I suppose that an apology is in order for this afternoon. I only meant to frighten you two into surrendering, not to have them attack, but I guess my men were too eager for a fight. And for that, I apologize. I shall see you tomorrow at the Remembrance Day ceremonies."

"No."

"Yes, Nunnally. I want one more chance to make you see that you are making a mistake. Lelouch is your brother, but he's not the one that you imagined, he's been twisted by that witch. I will make one more attempt tomorrow and then the decision will be yours."

"You mean you'll stop chasing us?"

V.V. nodded. "Unlike my brother, I am a man of my word." He turned to leave, hesitating before looking back over his shoulder at Nunnally. "Before I go one final thing. You know your brother has a Geass, he must have showed it to you."

"Yes, to prove he was royalty."

"Ah, then how do you know that you are acting under your own will?" Nunnally jerked backwards at that, V.V's benevolent smile never disappearing. "Lelouch can command people and they are forced to obey and, often, they have no memory of the command. He could have ordered you to follow him out of the tower and trust him. Do you trust him now?"

Nunnally stared at her uncle before giving a curt nod, making herself look as intimidating as she could while V.V. left. It was only when her uncle had disappeared into the forest that she slumped, shivering. She had just lied to V.V, she didn't know if she could trust Lelouch after that, at least not completely. But her brother deserved the chance, that's what she had to keep telling herself.

She gave the two another glance before reaching for her blanket, having to stretch awkwardly over the embarrassing little ground she had covered. She wrapped herself up in it, sitting up and keeping watch. She didn't think she could go back to sleep after V.V's visit. Despite what he had said, she was too afraid that he would break his word and try to drag her away in her sleep.

Nunnally shifted into a more comfortable position, glancing at her brother and his knight before giving a resolute nod. She would stay up all night if she had to, just to make sure that they were all safe. If she was going to join the Black Knights, she had to learn to make herself useful any way she could.

* * *

V.V. picked his way through the forest, his hands clenched at his sides to keep himself from yelling. Nunnally had chosen the wrong time to develop a backbone. He still needed her to become Empress when Charles died; he needed her to create the world that he wanted. He reached up to rub his forehead before glaring at his hand. He should have moved her when he realized that Lelouch was close by and he should have kept the information about Nunnally's whereabouts in the top ranks of his organization. Still, he could do nothing to change the past. All he could do was exploit her fears and use them to draw her back.

He looked up as he approached the village, ignoring the hostile stares that he got from the people that were still out. Since their liberation by Zero, the inhabitants of Nippon looked down on all those who were Britannian. V.V. pointedly ignored them, preferring to focus on the vision of the future of Britannia, the one where the country would be great again instead of struggling to keep itself and all of its providences in order.

He ducked into a small inn, the only one that would grudgingly serve Britannians. Almost immediately he caught sight of one of his men, the man waving him over to the bench he was sitting on. V.V. glanced around before ambling over, making sure to look like it was just a chance meeting, even going as far to smile. The fact that the man looked terrified about the fact that he was smiling gave V.V's smile a little truth to it.

V.V. sighed and flopped onto the bench, adopting a slumped position, ignoring the years of etiquette training that were screaming at him. "Is everything good on your end?"

The man nodded, returning his gaze to the door. "We found them. The captain should be over soon. The rest of us have them under guard to make sure that they don't run again."

"With the deal we've offered them, why would they?"

"Can't trust deserters."

V.V. smiled again at that, looking up as another man entered the inn, trying his best to look friendly. "I find you can, as long as you know their motives."

They made room on the bench for the captain, V.V. studying the man for a moment. His man's observation that the captain led a band of deserters was immediately dismissed. The captain took too much care of his uniform even while on the run to be considered a deserter, which meant that they would be eager to join up with anything relating to the empire again. And he was sure to join him when they learned the extent of their offer.

He pressed the tips of his fingers together, giving the captain a long look. "So, you took the safety we offered?"

The captain looked uncomfortable before nodding slowly. "There was nothing else to do; I would have lost men if I kept pushing them."

"Making the Britannian border in such a short amount of time is a huge task."

"Especially with those damned rebels chasing you." The captain sighed and let his head drop forward. V.V. raised an eyebrow at that; the captain must be tired if he was allowing himself that. "We had to circle back so many times just to keep from being caught."

"And tomorrow?"

"We keep going." The captain shrugged. "There's nothing else we can do."

"Except hope that you aren't seen as deserters."

That made the captain speechless for a moment, V.V watching him carefully. Finally, the captain seemed to make up his mind, snapping his mouth shut. "I had planned to find a noble or one of the remaining royal heirs that would be sympathetic to us and give them the information that we had gathered during battle."

"And if that isn't enough?"

"We are loyal Britannian soldiers." The words were kept to a whisper. "Even if we have to prove it to them."

V.V. nodded, fighting back a smile. These men would serve perfectly. "Well, I can guarantee that you will not be looked on as deserters."

The captain straightened up at that, staring at V.V. before slowly shaking his head. "How?"

"What if I could give you the honor that came with killing the most notorious criminal of our time? What if I could give you his head as a gift?"

"You…you can give me Zero?" V.V. nodded slowly, watching as the captain took a moment to think over the offer before the man nodded. "How?"

"Tomorrow he will be here, I am sure of it. For the actual capture, I just ask that your men remain out of the way. You will, of course, have the honor of escorting him into the village square and unmasking him as well as guarding him until he is hanged. What you do with the body after that is your choice, I just want something of mine back." V.V. grinned, holding out his hand.

The captain reached out to shake it quickly, V.V. standing up as the captain stared at his own hand, a smile on the man's face. "By this time tomorrow, you will be forever known as the man who captured Zero. No one will call you a deserter then."

"The man who killed Zero." The captain flexed his fingers, giving V.V. a huge smile. "I think I can live with that."


	9. Captured

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Raised the rating just to be safe. There is sex in this chapter, but it's not explicit.

**  
Chapter Eight: Captured   
**

Kallen looked up from tightening the girth as one of her riders came galloping up, the young man swinging from the saddle and throwing her a salute. Kallen rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to her horse, waiting for the man to report. After a long moment of silence, he began to speak, Kallen smiling at that. She would train him out of those silly formalities yet.

"I spotted a bunch of footprints heading towards the village. I followed them to an old camp and found this." He handed her a torn bit of cloth, Kallen turning it over in her hands and staring at the edge of the decoration that was left. She recognized the gold trim and the blue field, cursing and handing it back to the young man.

"Now we know where they went."

"What will we do?"

Kallen turned back to her horse, using the mare to buy time. Their first priority was Zero, finding where their leader had gotten to and bringing him back safely before their whole plan fell apart. But they couldn't just ignore Britannian soldiers still lurking in the country; it could be enough to rally a counterattack. In that case they would really need Zero back to help them. She double checked the girth, pushing two fingers between the leather and her mare's side. "How far behind them are we?"

"No more than a day. If we're lucky."

She grinned widely at that. It was too perfect of an opportunity to pass up. The nearest village was about a day away, the perfect place for a bunch of starving soldiers to snatch food. They could capture them and look for signs that Zero had passed that way without losing too much time. Kallen nodded to herself and pushed away from her mare, glancing around at the rest of her group as they packed away their gear.

"Let's see if we can catch them." There were shouts of excitement from her group as Kallen swung up into the saddle, gathering up the reins and turning her horse around, the roan mare snorting. "Ready to go hunting?"

Her question was met with cheers, Kallen's smile broadening before she raised her arm and motioned for her group to mount.

* * *

Lelouch leaned back against Arthur, watching Nunnally as she watched the dancers, picking out Suzaku as a local girl led him through the complicated dance. His sister turned back to smile at him before going back to watching the dance, clapping along to the music. He shook his head and adjusted his stance, feeling the uncomfortable pull of the scar over his wound. Lelouch reached down to rest his fingers against the spot, brushing them over the fabric before allowing his arms to dangle again, fighting back a smile at the frantic looks that Suzaku was shooting him.

His knight deserved the torment of the dances. Lelouch had woken up completely entangled with Suzaku, happy and confused. Why would his knight bother to do that to him when they both knew that Suzaku didn't care about him? It was probably just Suzaku trying to blame him for Euphy's death. That wake up call had put him in a sour mood all day, but he had tried to hide it for Nunnally's sake.

But it had been hard, especially with Suzaku acting so affectionate. Lelouch had been pretending to ignore him since they had ridden into the village at midmorning, Nunnally staring at the decorations in awe. Lelouch had ignored Suzaku's protests and had carried Nunnally around to see what she wanted to, finally setting her down to watch the short plays that were put on that showed the heroes of Nippon. Nunnally had watched with rapt attention, sometimes asking Suzaku to clarify parts.

Now his sister sat comfortably at the edge of the dance floor, sometimes turning to talk to the older women that were there. Lelouch was a little worried about that, knowing from experience that older women were sometimes more perverted than the younger ones. He had learned that from the old women who had put themselves in charge of the Black Knight's camp, often surprised by their conversations when they thought he wasn't around. What was worse were the conversations when he was around. Even in the presence Zero, they still speculated.

Lelouch shivered at the reminder, turning his head to look over his shoulder at the setting sun. In a few more minutes the dancing would stop and the people would wander over to the pond to light their candles. He eyed the pond, searching for an ideal place to set Nunnally down. There was no doubt that she would want to set the candles floating herself, but either he or Suzaku would have the task of lighting them.

"You cold?" He jumped at the question, spinning around to face Suzaku. His knight tipped his head to the side and offered a soft smile, Lelouch feeling his stomach twist at the expression before he purposefully squashed the feeling. He was supposed to hate Suzaku for using him; it was the only thing he could do to make it stop hurting. But the fact that Suzaku would look at him like that just made it harder.

"No." He snapped out the reply before edging closer to Arthur's head, knowing that Suzaku wouldn't follow if he wanted to make it through the day without being bitten. To his surprise, Suzaku followed, calmly putting out a hand to press against the side of Arthur's face when the horse tried to get at him.

"Why aren't you dancing?"

"I don't want to. Besides, you'd probably yell at me for 'straining' myself."

The guilty look on Suzaku's face was an answer enough. The knight looked back to the dancing people with a look of horror. "Could you at least save me?"

"Me?" Lelouch gestured at his skinny body with a smirk. "I couldn't possibly. Besides, you're the big strong knight, you do the rescuing."

"Lelouch…"

"I'm sure that they can't be that bad. Any of those ladies would love to say that they had the honor of seducing the Knight of Zero."

Suzaku frowned at that, Lelouch relaxing. He knew how to deal with Suzaku when he was mad at him, he didn't know how to deal with Suzaku when the knight was being his usual self. It was too hard to just ignore his feelings. "I don't use my title like that."

"Tamaki does all the time."

"It's not the same thing."

"Of course not." Lelouch waved his hand like that would banish the suggestion. "But the point still stands."

"The point is invalid."

"Is it?" He narrowed his eyes. "I thought that you would be more into that sort of thing, being a normal hot blooded male."

"You don't."

"I don't for one reason, complications. I can't have them."

"Oh." Suzaku nodded mockingly before taking a step back, dropping his hand back to his side as Arthur turned away. "That's your excuse."

"It's not an excuse, it's fact."

"Then explain Nunnally."

Lelouch blanched, punching Suzaku in the shoulder. He was a bit annoyed when the punch did nothing to the other. "Suzaku! That's disgusting!"

"I didn't mean it like that!" Suzaku reached out and caught his next punch, squeezing Lelouch's wrist for a moment before letting go. "Nunnally is a complication and you seem ready to take her on."

"Nunnally is completely different. I've done all of this for Nunnally!"

Suzaku raised an eyebrow. "All of it? Including freeing the Areas?"

Lelouch opened his mouth to reply before snapping it shut. Suzaku didn't need to know the answer to that. Then again, he could just lie, it would be easier. It was just that, suddenly, he didn't want to lie to Suzaku. He didn't want to say that he was using them all. Instead, he turned his head away with a huff, the move earning a bark of laughter from Suzaku.

"Fine then, my lord. I'll just take this chance to entertain the young ladies. Don't leave without me tomorrow."

He reached out without thinking as Suzaku turned to walk away, grabbing his shoulder with one hand, the other going to tear off the illusion from his eye. Lelouch froze when Suzaku glanced back at him, a wry smile on his face. "Don't bother, it won't work. You wasted your chance."

Suzaku rolled his shoulder to get Lelouch to let go, hesitating a moment more before walking back to the dance floor. Lelouch let his hand linger in midair for a moment before jerking it back down, wrapping his other hand around his wrist. He turned his head away, staring at his horse instead of at the dance floor. "It wasn't a waste."

Lelouch remained standing with Arthur until the sun set and the dancing broke up. He walked over to the pounded out section of dirt, kneeling next to Nunnally. "Ready?"

"Yes." He slipped an arm behind her back, freezing when he saw Suzaku walking off on the arm of one of the young ladies. Lelouch grimaced and looked away, lifting Nunnally from the ground. She wrapped an arm around his neck.

"What about Suzaku?"

"He can take care of himself."

Nunnally winced at his tone, Lelouch ducking his head for a moment for his slip up. He looked at Nunnally as she tapped his shoulder. "Lelouch, what happened? The two of you were acting like good friends last night."

He shrugged. "He's my knight."

"You told me he was your friend before." Lelouch winced at that, walking over to the picked out spot and setting her down. He walked back with the saddlebag with her candles, sitting down next to her. Nunnally kept staring at him, glancing between him and the crowd that were slowly trailing over. Lelouch busied himself with pulling the candles out, only stopping when Nunnally reached out to touch his arm. "Go find him."

"But, Nunnally…"

"Lelouch, please. Don't do this." He stared at her, Nunnally smiling at him. "Just go and talk. Just for a minute. I'll be here."

"But I promised."

"He's your knight and your friend. And if you don't then I'll find a way to make you two talk." She gave him an innocent smile before turning to accept a small fire pot and stick from one of the locals. Nunnally glanced at him before lighting two of her candles, watching as other people began to push the candles into the pond. "Lelouch, go. I'll be fine."

"Nunnally…"

"Lelouch, now." It was clearly an order, but Lelouch just looked over his shoulder, searching for Suzaku.

"Nunnally, I can't." His sister sighed, settling into a steady pattern of pauses and launching candles. Lelouch watched as she held a short moment of silence before pushing the next candle in. Lelouch remained standing behind her as she continued her ritual.

He had never done this, not for anyone that he had lost or for the ones he had killed. He hadn't even done this for the Black Knights that had died in his service. A pang of guilt went through him, which was quickly pushed away. He didn't have time for guilt.

"You can't keep doing this to yourself." He glanced at Nunnally. "For me, please? I don't like it when you two fight."

Lelouch sighed and nodded, taking the moment to look around and see if there was anything dangerous to Nunnally. To his annoyance, everything looked safe, which meant that he couldn't stall any longer. If Nunnally wanted it, he couldn't refuse. "Stay here."

"Of course." She gave him a big smile before going back to her task, Lelouch backing away from the side of the pond, turning around to walk back towards the village square. If Suzaku wasn't anywhere in sight, he would walk back to the pond and stand with Nunnally.

To his surprise, Suzaku was walking out to the village square, looking over his shoulder nervous. The knight gave him a shaky smile. "Nunnally?"

"Sent me back here to find you." To his surprise, Suzaku looked nervous, glancing at the pond before reaching out and grabbing Lelouch's wrist. He jumped, reaching out to try and pry Suzaku off of him. "Suzaku, let go."

His knight didn't respond, dragging him to a secluded place between two houses, looking over his shoulder until they were hidden in the darkness. "Give me a minute, Lelouch."

"You don't have a minute!" He tried to struggle away, only to have Suzaku tighten his hold. Lelouch hissed in pain, glaring at his knight and lowering his voice. "I'll listen to you, but only where I can see Nunnally!"

"Lelouch-"

"Let go!" He grunted as Suzaku shoved him against the nearest wall. Lelouch took a quick breath, taking advantage of the fact that Suzaku had let go of his wrist and pushing on his friend's shoulders. One shove did nothing, Lelouch gritting his teeth and trying again. "Get off of me."

"One minute."

"Fine!" Lelouch let his hands drop back to his sides, glaring at Suzaku as his knight shifted, dropping his gaze away. Lelouch rolled his eyes. "You're wasting your time."

Suzaku looked up abruptly. "This isn't something that I can just explain quickly."

"Then you should have asked for more time."

Suzaku shook him roughly. "Stop that!"

"Stop what?"

"Stop trying to make me get mad at you!" Lelouch froze at the words, carefully raising an eyebrow at that. Suzaku glared at him before dropping his head. "It doesn't work. It never works."

"What do you mean? It works perfectly-"

"No, because I keep coming back." Suzaku looked up at him, his hair blocking his eyes. "I keep coming back and…this doesn't work."

"You're going to have to be a bit cle-" Lelouch broke off as Suzaku leaned forward suddenly and kissed him. Lelouch's eyes went wide, the prince freezing for a moment before he began to scramble at Suzaku's shoulder, surprised when the knight actually stepped away.

He stared at his friend for a moment before dragging his sleeve over his mouth and pushing away from the wall, stumbling back towards where Nunnally was. "No. Not again."

"Lelouch?"

"I am not just going to be a warm body for you again!"

He was grabbed and spun back around, Lelouch narrowing his eyes and reaching up to punch Suzaku's face, only to be stopped and shoved against the house again. "That's a lie."

"It's not a lie! You've said it to me before! You confirmed it!" Lelouch struggled to get out of his knight's hold, glancing hopefully back in the direction, hoping that someone would come at the sound of shouting. He was disappointed when no one came, clenching his fists in preparation for a fight when Suzaku slumped against him, resting his head against Lelouch's shoulder.

"I'm sorry."

"What?"

"I'm sorry." Lelouch tensed as he felt Suzaku's lips move against his skin, tipping his head to one side in the hopes of getting his neck just a little further from Suzaku. It did nothing to help; he could still feel Suzaku's comfortable weight against him and his lips, all of them reminders of what had happened before. Lelouch started to shake, surprised when Suzaku immediately wrapped his arms around him. "Sh. I've got you."

"No."

"Lelouch."

"No. I said I didn't want complications. And I don't want you!" Suzaku tensed at that, Lelouch continuing on, knowing that he had found his way out. "You always wanted Euphy and you only settled for me because we were related and because it wouldn't cause a scandal if the two of you had to slip back into the royal family. You just jumped on the first warm blooded person that you found."

"Lelouch-"

He reached out to hit Suzaku, the move ineffectual. Lelouch muttered a curse and titled his head up to stare at the sky. "You're supposed to hate me. I got your princess killed and used my Geass on you. You're supposed to hate me!"

"But I don't."

Lelouch looked back down at him abruptly, narrowing his eyes. "Then just pretend. It's easier that way."

"No." Suzaku leaned forward to kiss him again, Lelouch frowning and burying his hand in Suzaku's hair. He used that hold to pull the knight away from him, panting for breath and glaring at Suzaku.

"I didn't give you permission to kiss me."

"I didn't need your permission before."

Lelouch groaned and let go of Suzaku's hair, his hand falling onto the knight's shoulder. "If you're really this horny, go find a girl, it'll work just as well. She probably won't mind that you scream Euphy's name."

"I don't want a girl." Suzaku grinned at him. "I have what I want right here."

Lelouch stared at him in disgust before turning his head away. "You're not getting what you want."

He heard Suzaku laugh before the other kissed his neck, Lelouch shivering and clutching at one of Suzaku's shoulders. He felt his hips jerk as Suzaku bit down on one sensitive spot, feeling the knight smirk against his neck. "Stop being so stubborn."

"No."

Suzaku sighed, using one hand to force Lelouch to look at him, the prince purposefully making it hard for the move to be completed. Suzaku only spoke when he was sure that Leouch was looking at him. "Why?"

"Because you love Euphy."

"Loved." Lelouch tensed at that, staring at Suzaku as the knight nodded, a wry smile on his face. "I'm an idiot, remember? It takes me a while to figure these things out." When he didn't respond, Suzaku groaned. "What now Lelouch?"

"Did you just expect me to forgive you like that?" The hopeful look on Suzaku's face was all the answer that he needed, Lelouch groaning and slapping his shoulder. "Idiot! Do you even know how much that-"

He cut himself off before he could finish the sentence, blinking in surprise at the sudden comprehension on Suzaku's face. The knight tipped his head to the side. "Hurt?"

Lelouch looked away, knowing that it would be enough of an answer for Suzaku. He expected for the knight to walk away, realizing the mistake he made. Instead, Lelouch was pulled into a tight hug, embarrassed at the squeak of surprise that came from his mouth. Suzaku sighed, the slight slump that came with the move pushing Lelouch flush against the house again. "Now I wonder why I'm still alive after…" He trailed off after that, staring at Lelouch before blushing. "Oh."

He didn't know how to take that response, deciding to turn his head away and stare at the mouth of the alley. It was only a matter of time before Suzaku let go of him, then he would walk away and go back to their old awkward interactions; he knew how to handle those.

Lelouch jerked as Suzaku pressed a kiss to his neck, reaching up to secure another hold on Suzaku's head, only to stop halfway through the motion. "Forgive me, my prince."

"Don't do that."

"Why not? It's your title."

"I renounced it."

Suzaku laughed at that. "Then how can I be your knight?"

"I don't know, you decided to do that on your own." Lelouch shrugged, hoping that the move would encourage Suzaku to move away from his neck. "Probably because you were feeling guilty about Euphy."

"Can we stop talking about her?"

"Why? You always do."

"Because I want her to stop being the basis of all my decisions!" Lelouch jumped at the harsh bark of laughter that followed the statement, looking down at Suzaku, barely aware that his knight was holding him tighter. "She's dead, Lelouch. It's taken me this long to realize it, and I hate myself for the things I've done."

"You always have hated yourself."

"Lelouch," Suzaku was looking back at him again, pressing the prince back against the house, "for once, even if it's only for this, answer one of my questions with a real answer. Is there even a chance that you like me, more than a friend?"

"There's no chance."

He wasn't expecting a grin as his answer, Lelouch leaning as far away from Suzaku as he could. "Liar."

"It's not."

"Look at me when you say it then."

Lelouch narrowed his eyes and turned back to look at him. He opened his mouth to repeat his answer only to have Suzaku lean forward to kiss him. The knight caught the hand that Lelouch brought up to hit him with, entwining their fingers and pressing Lelouch's hand back against the house. Lelouch growled into the kiss and twisted, trying to wiggle away from Suzaku.

Suzaku pulled away a moment later, smirking. "I think you still do. Nunnally said you were sulking when I left."

"I was preoccupied!"

"And you grabbed my hand last night." Lelouch's eyes widened as he stared at his knight, sure that Suzaku wasn't lying. "You wouldn't let go. I had to fight to get that hand back. You still grabbed it."

"Lies."

"Nunnally will agree with me."

Lelouch narrowed his eyes, deciding between distracting Suzaku long enough for him to get away or just scratching the knight's eyes out. He took a breath to give Suzaku his last warning, suddenly changing his mind. He grabbed the back of Suzaku's head and pulled him into a kiss, keeping his hand there to prevent Suzaku from moving away.

At first Suzaku was shocked, but then he was kissing back, raising a hand to tilt Lelouch's head to the side to give the kiss a better angle. Lelouch just followed his lead, quickly forgetting the reason that he had kissed Suzaku in the first place. It had been part of a plan, but he had been resisting for too long and the chance was too good to let slide away. He was prepared for the consequences that would follow this, sure that Suzaku would try and wiggle out of this again, but Lelouch would have the satisfaction of this conversation.

Suzaku pulled back to gasp for breath, lowering his head to pay attention to the other side of Lelouch's neck. Lelouch gulped and let his hand slide from Suzaku's hair and onto his back, trying to pull the other closer. He groaned when he realized that they were as close as they could get, about to hiss out an annoyed command at Suzaku, the sound turning into an approving moan as Suzaku pulled his leg up. He swallowed and shifted his weight to his other leg, feeling Suzaku's fingers pressing into his thigh, taking advantage of the shift to move closer.

They both groaned at the contact, Lelouch bracing himself against the wall and tipping his head back, allowing his eyes to slide closed as Suzaku continued to lick and nip at his skin. His eyes flew open a moment later as Suzaku moved against him, Lelouch clutching at his knight. Suzaku stopped his task to whisper huskily in Lelouch's ear, "That good?"

Lelouch just nodded, arching against Suzaku. "More."

"Can't. Too public." Lelouch must have whimpered because Suzaku clucked, kissing the corner of his mouth. "Later, Lelouch."

He nodded again, frantically pressing against Suzaku as the two of them moved against each other. Part of him was aware that he was muttering Suzaku's name, his voice going embarrassingly high with each rub, but he was more focused on the contact between the two of them and the puffs of hot air against his neck.

"S-Suzaku…"

"Right." Suzaku lifted his head from where it had rested on Lelouch's shoulder, pressing his lips against Leouch's. Lelouch eagerly returned his kiss, sloppily trying to keep up as their movements sped up, clawing at Suzaku's back.

He came with a moan of Suzaku's name, the word swallowed into the kiss as he went limp against Suzaku, holding onto the knight as Suzaku rutted agaist him for a moment more before following him into orgasm.

The two of them clung to each other, panting for breath before their legs gave out, Lelouch sliding down the wall and grunting when Suzaku landed on top of him. The knight smiled at him before letting his head drop back to the crook of Lelouch's neck. "Sorry."

Lelouch didn't bother to respond, letting his hand run over Suzaku's back and bury itself in the brown curls. He gave a long sigh and tipped his head back, taking deep breaths as he tried to recover, feeling Suzaku do the same.

"W-what's your excuse going to be this time?"

"No excuse." Suzaku lifted his head, pressing their foreheads against each other. "Not for me at least."

"I'm not just a warm body?"

"No. I finally got it through my thick head." Suzaku smiled before letting his eyes shut. "Just give a few more moments."

"Fine." Lelouch found himself smiling as well, enjoying the warmth of Suzaku's body over his and trying to ignore the cold, sticky sensation. He would rather focus on this moment.

They lay tangled together for a while, Lelouch not even bothering calculating the time that Suzaku had requested. He opened his eyes when Suzaku slowly got up, offering Lelouch a hand to get up, only to freeze. Lelouch frowned, about to get up when he heard someone chuckle, leaning around Suzaku to stare at the man holding a knife to Suzaku's back.

V.V. glanced down at him with a smirk. "You might as well stay there, Lelouch."

Lelouch glanced back at Suzaku, seeing red rim his knight's eyes, the Geass activating to keep Suzaku alive. He carefully pushed himself into an upright position, keeping one hand on the ground in case he needed to get up quickly. It would only be a matter of time before Suzaku's Geass kicked in and the knight knocked the blade from V.V's hand. Then he could run for the horses and Nunnally.

Lelouch smiled as Suzaku moved, taking a step forward before spinning around and smacking the blade out of V.V's hand, the knight stumbling back to stand beside him. He took that moment to rise gracefully to his feet. He motioned for Suzaku to go first, turning his back to the man and heading down the alley. Lelouch wanted nothing more to shout at the man, but V.V. would have other people follow him, and his first concern was Nunnally.

They didn't get far down the alley, Lelouch jumping backwards as two men dropped from the roofs of the two houses, both of them landing on Suzaku and pinning him down. The knight immediately started to struggle, almost throwing the men from him a couple of times. Lelouch snarled, tearing the illusion from his eye and striding forward, only to be stopped by his uncle's hand on his shoulder.

Lelouch spun around, pushing V.V's hand away, only to have the man chuckle. "I wouldn't do that. I'm sure you wouldn't want something bad to happen to Sir Kururugi?"

He wanted to laugh at V.V, glancing over his shoulder only to freeze. Both of the men had their knives out, one pressed against the back of Suzaku's neck while the other man tipped his head back with a handful of hair, that knife positioned towards Suzaku's eye. Lelouch stared at the situation, running over different plans in his mind, but all of them would lead to Suzaku dying. Even if he forced one man off of him, the other would attack, so the Geass would keep him still.

"Now that we have that settled," Lelouch turned around as V.V. walked around to face him, "I think we should discuss the deal."

"Deal?"

"Indeed. You have something I want-"

"You're not taking Nunnally!"

V.V. was very careful not to meet his gaze. "I thought you would say that. And I came prepared. I promise that I won't take Nunnally with me, unless she asks to go."

"She won't."

"I'm well aware of that, Lelouch." The moment of eye contact was too short for him to use his Geass, Lelouch cursing under his breath and waiting for V.V. to continue. "So I have come with a proposition. You can see that we have Sir Kururugi here restrained. And, if you would step this way," Leouch didn't have a choice as his uncle pulled him to one side of the alley, "you'll see your sister."

Lelouch's breath caught in his throat as he saw Nunnally sitting by the side of the pond, lit up by the light from the candles and talking to one of the women from the village. Hidden in the shadows was an archer, an arrow already on the bowstring and aimed towards Nunnally.

He felt his knees wobble, reaching out to catch himself on the wall of the house, mouthing his sister's name before turning to glare at his uncle, V.V. looking unconcerned. "You see, the deal is simple. Agree to my demands or they both die."

"What are your demands?"

V.V. laughed and shook his head. "There's no getting out of this Lelouch. And if you call the Black Knights in, we'll kill Nunnally."

"You wouldn't!"

"She isn't the only one that I can use." V.V. shrugged. "She is my first choice, but there are others out there; your brother Odysseus for example. It will be a set back and nothing more. Although," V.V. smirked at him, "we could blind Sir Kururugi and leave him with you as evidence of your cowardice."

Lelouch stared at him before slumping, nearly sliding down the wall. "What do you want?"

"That's better." V.V. motioned towards the shadows behind him, Lelouch watching as more men walked out. He lifted his head briefly, ready to use the Geass on them. But V.V. was faster, reaching forward and pressing a strip of fabric to Lelouch's left eye and then forcing him to the ground.

"Lelouch!" He tried to look over at Suzaku, not sure if the knight was fighting back because he couldn't see. Lelouch tried to push away from the ground as V.V. shoved him into the dirt, quickly tying the strip of fabric securely around his head, obscuring the vision in his left eye.

He was kept pressed against the ground, Lelouch having to crane his neck at an awkward angle to watch as the men advanced, two more walking behind them to further restrain Suzaku. Lelouch's attention was drawn back to his uncle as his face was pressed against the dirt again.

"Surrender Zero." He tensed at the name of his alias, hearing V.V. laugh. "Oh, we know who you are; we've been keeping track of you."

"You've been planning this!"

"No, we were going to leave you alone. You were helping us, at least until you took Nunnally. Then you became my enemy."

"What do you want?"

"Ah, impatient now, fine." Lelouch's head was knocked against the ground before V.V. stepped away, three men rushing over to point their swords at Lelouch. "As long as you do exactly as I say, Sir Kururugi and Nunnally will remain alive."

Lelouch nodded slowly, watching as V.V. walked around to stand in front of him, Lelouch still having to crane his neck back at an awkward angle to see his uncle. "We will bring your horse to you and you will dress as Zero. Then, you will not struggle as we hand you over to a troop of Britannian soldiers." Lelouch's eye widened, the move earning a smirk from V.V. "Then we will expose you for the fraud you are. In the end, you will be hanged as befitting a criminal. And only when you are dead, will Sir Kururugi and Nunnally be safe."

He stared at his uncle, his heart beating quickly as he considered the deal, his mouth going dry. V.V. had thought of everything. He would lose Nunnally with this if he was revealed as Zero; she would go with V.V. then. But even then he couldn't escape because V.V. wouldn't hesitate to kill her. Suzaku he could worry a little less about, the Geass on him would keep him safe, unless V.V. was planning for another situation where Suzaku would be forced to remain still or worse, they would kill him slowly, attacks that would wound him and exhaust him to the point where the Geass wouldn't work.

Lelouch let his head drop with a long sigh, turning it slightly to the side when he heard the sounds of a struggle behind him. "Let go of me!"

"Suzaku, stop." The sounds of the struggle disappeared; Lelouch turned his head back to look at his uncle. "I agree."


	10. Verdict

**  
Chapter Nine: Verdict   
**

Nunnally was getting worried when her brother didn't turn up an hour, remaining by the pond and politely refusing offers of a place to stay for the night. Her brother would turn up eventually, and hopefully things with Suzaku would be mended. She couldn't stand to see the two at such odds with each other.

She looked up at the sound of running feet, twisting around to see Suzaku rushing towards her. He stumbled to a stop beside her, leaning over to catch his breath and look over his shoulder. Nunnally frowned at that, her mouth dropping open in shock as she saw the thin line of blood on his neck, reaching up to try and touch it. "Suzaku?"

He pulled away from her, waving her hand away. "Something happened."

Her eyes widened at that, looking around Suzaku. "Where's Lelouch?"

"He's-" Shouts from the village cut him off, Suzaku turning back around to stare towards the square. He took a step back to her, settling into a protective position. She swallowed and turned to stare at the troop of men that were marching into the village. Her breath caught in her throat.

"Suzaku, what's going on?"

She might have imagined the flinch that he gave before kneeling down to scoop her up, hurrying to the square with the rest of the villagers as they spilled out of the houses. Nunnally watched the man in charge of the troop shouting for light, the bonfires that had been set up for the feast being relit quickly under his command. Nunnally gasped at the insignia of the Britannian army, clinging to Suzaku as the walked closer.

The men quickly formed up around something, Nunnally catching sharp points of some kind of helmet between them. She strained to see over them, only to be disappointed. Nunnally bit her lip as Suzaku slipped through the crowd, often having to urge him to move closer. She was started by his reluctance; she thought that he would have used this opportunity to find Lelouch instead of hanging in the back.

They came to a stop near the front, Nunnally staring at the group of men as the captain paraded proudly in front of them. The villagers stayed in a clump, obviously afraid of the threat that that soldiers posed. Nunnally swallowed nervously, turning around to try and find their horses, tensing when she saw Lancelot standing alone. "Suzaku, where's Arthur?"

He didn't have time to answer, the captain shouting for silence, the villagers complying quickly. The captain drew himself up. "I'm sure you all know of your recent…liberation from the Britannian Empire." There were cheers following that statement, the captain viciously gesturing for silence. "This is not something to be proud of! You merely took advantage of a moment of weakness. Britannia will rise again and reclaim this damn country."

"Zero will stop you!" The shout from the crowd drew cheers from the rest of the village, Nunnally watching as the people gathered their courage and shouted abuse at the soldiers.

To her surprise, the captain waited out the onslaught before waving to his soldiers, the men moving as they dragged someone out from their tight grouping. "Really now? I'd like to see the famous miracle maker try to stop us now!"

There were gasps from the crowd as a man dressed completely in black with a helmet over his head was tugged from the midst of the soldiers. It only took a moment before the outburst from the villagers started, all of them denying the existence of the man in front of them, saying that he couldn't be Zero. Nunnally was inclined to agree with them, from what she had heard from V.V, Zero was impossible to capture. The man up there was probably just a decoy, someone ready to die for Zero's cause.

Her confidence in her thoughts was shattered as she heard Suzaku groan, watching as the knight ducked his head. She reached out to touch his cheek, surprised to feel tears running down his cheek. For a moment she was confused by Suzaku's behavior, Nunnally quickly withdrawing her hand a moment later. Suzaku would know what Zero looked like, the real Zero. "Suzaku?"

"W-we should go, Nunnally."

She shook her head. "Not without Lelouch."

"Nunnally, he's not-"

"Don't try and trick us!" The villagers were over the shock of seeing the man the captain claimed was Zero. "You're just trying to trick us!"

"The real Zero would never be caught!"

More shouts followed, Nunnally clinging to Suzaku and looking frantically around. If the crowd was this riled up, then it would be best to get away while they still could. Lelouch had to be here somewhere…

"Silence!" The masked man finally spoke up, looking up at the crowd. "I am Zero, the one who freed you and two other Areas before you. I stand as a knight for jus-"

The captain lashed out, catching Zero in the stomach and making the man double over and gasp for breath. The crowd fell silent at that, the captain laughing. "You won't get the chance to twist this to suit you." He grinned, forcing Zero to stand up straight again. "How about we see who is hiding under the mask?"

Before anyone could protest, two men had gotten a better hold on Zero while the captain pulled off the helmet, throwing it carelessly to the ground. There was a gasp from the crowd, Nunnally twisting in Suzaku's hold to try and see who the masked man really was, freezing in shock when Zero's head was pulled back up, the black fabric that covered the lower half of his face peeled away, the captain forcing Lelouch to stare back out at the crowd.

"Hey, that's that kid!" The crowd dissolved into confused murmurs, Nunnally watching as her brother scanned the crowd with his right eye, the left covered by a strip of cloth.

The captain grinned, yanking on Lelouch's hair again as he tried to look back down at the ground. "I present to you the eleventh prince, Lelouch vi Britannia, the leader of your pitiful rebellion." Lelouch was shoved to the ground, the crowd backing away from the fallen boy. The captain shrugged and took a step forward, one foot resting on Lelouch's back to keep him down. "The prince that has been using you from the start. Why else would a prince bother with commoners? And, what better way to gain the throne than weakening the empire and gathering his own army?"

The villagers said nothing, Nunnally shocked to see them just glaring at the captain and the others soldiers. The captain seemed equally as unsure on what to do, finally just shrugging before gesturing for the men to haul Lelouch to his feet. "Fine then. But you will go down in history as the town where the traitor Zero was hanged."

That got a reaction, the villagers surging forward with a scream. Nunnally pressed her head against Suzaku's neck, blocking out the sight of the people rushing towards the group of armed soldiers. She felt him moving, sure that he was getting her out of the way of the rush of people, too focused on the screams from the villagers as the soldiers showed no mercy to them. She was suddenly aware that she was crying, taking deep shuddering breaths to calm herself down and hide the fact.

But of course Suzaku would pick up on her distress, the knight holding her close for a moment in an awkward hug before continuing to walk quickly towards Lancelot. "Don't worry, Nunnally. We'll get him back, I promise."

Nunnally pulled her head up at that, staring at Suzaku. Her throat went dry as she fully comprehended what had been going on. At first, the shock of seeing Lelouch as Zero had been too much, but now she was thinking and hating every moment of it. Of course Lelouch would be safe with the Black Knights because he was their leader, the mask kept them from seeing who he really was, which meant that he was safe from them. But that made the fact that he was the one to kill their half brothers and sisters even worse, Lelouch had just killed them because he wanted to.

And Suzaku…Suzaku was his knight, the infamous knight who would charge into battle beside Zero. V.V. had told her stories of that knight too, enough for her to fear him as much as she feared Zero.

Nunnally gasped and wiggled in Suzaku's hold, the knight having to slow down and struggle to get a good grip on her. "Nunnally?"

"Let go of me!"

"Nunnally stop."

"No! Let me go!" She partially fell out of his arms at that, taking advantage of his frantic scrambling to pry herself free. Nunnally winced as she hit the ground, slapping away Suzaku's hands as he tried to lift her back up. "No. I want to know why I was never told about this!"

"It wasn't mine to tell."

"Then how would I know?" Nunnally bit her lip, wiping the tears from her eyes. "He lied to me, Suzaku! I thought that he was the one person that wouldn't…but he did."

"Nunnally, he couldn't help it. Lelouch would have told you as soon as possible."

"But he didn't!" She stared at him for a moment before shaking her head and letting it drop. "What did he lie to you about?" But Suzaku's started jerk she knew that she had hit her mark. "That's why you were angry with him and why you left."

"It was just a misunderstanding."

"Him using his Geass on you was a misunderstanding?" Nunnally tensed at the interruption to their conversation, staring at V.V. as he wandered over. Her uncle smiled at Suzaku, tipping his head to one side. "I thought that one such as you would hate being forced to do such a thing."

Nunnally stared at her uncle before turning her gaze to Suzaku, watching as he twitched before shaking his head. "Nunnally, please, just come with me and I'll find a way to explain everything."

She glanced between the two of them, wrapping her arms around herself and leaning back. She didn't know what to do; the two people that she thought that she would be able to trust had lied to her and betrayed her. What she wanted more than anything was to just be safe and not have to worry about any of this, but that wouldn't help her in the end. But she knew that she wouldn't be safe with the Black Knights, they were probably more interested in how they could use her to free their leader or attack the next Area and she wasn't sure that she could trust Suzaku.

Nunnally reached a hand out, making sure that it couldn't be mistaken for a plea for Suzaku. The knight stared at her, taking a step away as V.V. moved forward. She glanced back at the knight as V.V. lifted her from the ground. She ducked her head as she was carried away, not wanting to see the look on Suzaku's face when he realized her choice. She just wanted to be safe and secure, not frightened of everything. If Lelouch were still here, and she hadn't known that he was Zero, she would have chosen him.

They walked away from the village in silence, Nunnally forcing herself not to look back. If she did that, V.V. would question her reasons for going back with him. He would only take her back if she showed complete repentance for her actions, and the safety of her tower was all she really wanted.

"You had me worried, Nunnally."

"I'm sorry."

V.V. didn't bother to acknowledge her apology, just clearing his throat. "I hoped you learned something from this."

"I did, uncle." When he didn't speak immediately, Nunnally sighed, staring down at her hands. "I learned that…the people in the world really are just going to use me."

And the horrible part was that it was true. Lelouch would have used her to help further his cause with the Black Knights and V.V. was still using her for his schemes. She was stuck between the two of them and had no idea where to go from there. Nunnally bit her lip to keep back a sob, drawing in a deep breath before looking up at her uncle. "But he's my brother…"

"And a traitor to Britannia."

"Can't you do something?"

"No." She flinched at the rebuke in that word. "He will hang in the morning and that will be the end of it. Brother or not, he is still a danger to you."

What Nunnally wanted to do was to defend her brother, only to come up short when she realized that she still had no idea about what he would have done to her, and that scared her. All of that kindness and affection hadn't seemed like an act, but that still didn't mean that it wasn't one. That didn't change the fact that, by the time she returned home, she would have to float Lelouch's candle because he would be dead.

"Don't cry for him. His Geass has twisted him beyond all hope, this is a mercy."

Nunnally nodded, reaching up to wipe the tears from her eyes automatically. Here, safe in her uncle's arms, it was easier to just listen to him, easier to forget about Lelouch and Suzaku. It would be even easier for her to think of the both of them as dead, just to have them exist as Zero and the Knight of Zero, then there wouldn't be happy memories attached to them. Then, when the time came, she could strike out at the Black Knights and demolish them completely.

* * *

Lelouch hissed in pain as he was thrown roughly back into the stone wall of the cell, glaring at the men that lingered outside of the door before the cell was shut again. Only then did he allow himself to relax, his legs trembling until he sank down onto the dirty floor. His shoulders and wrists hurt, both strained from where the soldiers had tied his hands behind his back so he wouldn't be able to untie the cloth that kept him from using his Geass. Not that he would have in the first place, not until he had a plan.

There was his problem; he could come up with many plans, but none that would guarantee the safety of Nunnally and Suzaku. And none that would get him out of here alive.

Of course, there was the plan that his uncle had come up with, to just let himself be paraded around as a captive and walk calmly to his death. Even then, it could be used to his advantage. Zero, the leader of the rebellion that was freeing the Areas put to death by Britannia and hanged in front of his loyal followers. The story would spread and incite more people to rebellion, because he had only been doing them a favor. Perhaps the fact that he had been a royal prince would help their cause, a kind of royal approval.

Lelouch gave his head a hard shake, surprised and a bit disgusted with how easy he could explain away his own death. He had gotten so used to turning failures on his part into victories for his followers that it was just a habit. His own death would serve the Black Knights as well as he could in life, and that frightened him. Lelouch drew his knees closer to his chest. If this was the way that it was going to end, then he would have to make it good.

He didn't know how long he sat in the darkness of the cell, keeping his mind carefully blank. He didn't want to waste time coming up with hopeless plans only to discard them in the end. And, most importantly, he didn't want to go back over his memories to try to get some closure for himself. That would only leave him with the burning desire to live because Nunnally was still out there, still so close and he and Suzaku…

Lelouch dropped his head so that his forehead resting against his knees, gritting his teeth. At least they had gotten that out of the way before he had agreed to walk to his death. While it was a very little thing in the whole scheme, it meant a lot to him to know that Suzaku cared for him, that he hadn't just been a mistake. That, even if he had been a replacement for Euphy for all of these years, Suzaku was trying his best to not see Lelouch as one anymore.

He looked up at the sound of someone walking behind him, Lelouch craning his head up to watch the guard walk past through the small window in the cell. He frowned and twisted his torso around to look up at the small window, watching the booted feet of the guard move through the small barred window. Lelouch watched the guard pause before moving on, cursing his luck as he shifted to his knees, staring at the small window.

For a moment, he contemplated escape, only to shake his head and sit back. He wouldn't be escaping this one, there was too much at stake. Besides, it would be a great blow against Britannia for the Black Knights. Maybe even enough to get them to rise against Britannia herself, although perhaps that attack would come a bit too soon in the campaign. After all, they only had four countries to draw from, all of them struggling to rebuild. Lelouch cursed under his breath and sagged, preferring to stare at the floor.

Lelouch listened to the sounds of the guards moving around, closing his eyes and letting his head slump forward again. He didn't know how long he remained that way, forcing himself to ignore the boredom that crept up on him. He jerked his head up at the sound of another guard walking past, Lelouch not able to see the pair of boots that went past, his eyes widening as he heard a second set follow moments later.

He looked up abruptly, knowing that it was too soon for another guard to walk by. Someone was kneeling by the little window, Lelouch only barely able to see their outline in the dark. He carefully got to his feet, nearly falling over as his balance was upset by the position of his hands. Lelouch caught himself, swaying in place before carefully moving towards one of the walls, wanting to get out of range of the window. It could be one of the guards that had come back, deciding to take matters into his own hands. He wasn't sure if V.V. would count his murder as a breach of their contract.

The person by the window shifted, Lelouch guessing that they were searching for him or the right angle to aim a knife or a bow. Lelouch gritted his teeth and pressed his back against the wall, holding his breath as he waited for the person to give up and walk away. It was probably too dark to get off a good shot anyway, and then the soldier would have to deal with his captain and V.V.

"Lelouch?" He tensed at the whisper, staring up at the dark shape in the window before inching along the wall. "Lelouch, where-"

"Here Suzaku." Lelouch took a step away from the wall, making sure to keep his body turned slightly so that he could see the door. He remained still for a moment, listening for the sounds of the guards outside the door before letting out a long sigh. "What are you doing here?"

Suzaku stuck a hand through the bars, having to press his shoulder against the bars themselves to even get close enough to brush his fingers over the top of Lelouch's hair. He sighed and drew his hand back in, Lelouch sure that Suzaku was giving his usual apologetic smile at the moment. "Everything has gone horribly wrong. Nunnally chose to go back with your uncle and… I've come to get you out."

"No."

"What do you mean no?"

Lelouch glared at him, remaining silent until he was sure that the guards hadn't heard Suzaku's outburst. "Exactly what it sounds like."

"Lelouch you're going to hang in the morning."

"Then so be it." He drew himself up, trying to look like a prince despite how exhausted he felt. "My death will do nothing to help the empire. All the Areas will hear about what Britannia did to their hero and they will rise to fight against their oppressor. The Black Knights will-"

"Stop it." Suzaku hissed the words out, slumping against the bars, curling one hand around a bar. "I don't want to hear you rationalize your own death."

"What else is there to do?"

"Escape."

Lelouch muttered curses under his breath for a moment, glaring at the floor before looking up at his friend. "You know I can't."

"Lelouch-"

"My uncle has Nunnally, you just told me that." Lelouch took a deep breath, forcing away feelings of anger and betrayal that his sister's choice had given him. He didn't blame her in the end, but it still hurt. "Do you think he really cares about her? He only uses her because she can't run; she is at the mercy of whoever has her. It doesn't matter I manage to escape or not, he'll kill her and move on. And then there's you."

"Don't worry about me."

"You idiot!" Lelouch ducked his head again, trying to get a hold on his temper. "Of course I worry about you. How can I not? I…It's why I put that Geass on you."

"To live. They can't do anything to me."

"Of course they can." Lelouch stepped closer to the window and stood on his tiptoes, straining to meet Suzaku's gaze in the darkness. "The Geass will help you out of situations with the least amount of bodily damage. What if the situation calls for a broken leg? What if they still follow after that? After a time your body will give out, Suzaku, and then the Geass won't help you."

Lelouch jumped went he felt the brush of fingers against his cheek, nearly falling over. He thought he heard Suzaku chuckle, the knight pulling his arm back through the bars. "I love you too."

"Suzaku-"

"Which is why I am not going to watch you hang tomorrow." Lelouch glared at his friend before turning around, hoping Suzaku would take the hint and leave. It appeared that his friend missed the hint because Lelouch heard Suzaku shift in place. "I know you have a plan, Lelouch."

"There is no plan."

"Liar."

"There is no plan!" Lelouch spun back around, glaring at him, sure that the glare was useless because of the darkness. "I wouldn't have let myself get into this situation if there was a plan."

"Which means you're afraid."

"Don't be stupid."

"It's just two little words, Lelouch. What harm can they do?"

He wanted to snap at Suzaku, to tell him that those words could do all the harm in the world. If he admitted what he was really feeling then there was a chance that he would allow it to control him. It was easier just to ignore everything and continue on like he couldn't feel anything at all. But he couldn't bring himself to do it, not now, not here.

Lelouch cursed quietly under his breath and looked away. "I'm afraid."

"There you go."

"Afraid of losing Nunnally…and you."

"Lelouch…"

He shivered, biting his lip to keep the words from continuing to spill out. It was hard to stop now, especially knowing that this would be the last time he could talk like this, and he had always felt comfortable around Suzaku. He opened his mouth to stay more, but was cut off by Suzaku.

"You don't have to say anything else."

"I'm afraid to die."

"Everyone is."

"Not you."

He heard Suzaku suck in a quick breath at that before the knight chuckled. "I've done enough to deserve it."

"So have I."

"Let's," Suzaku's voice broke over the word, "let's not talk about this." He paused long enough for Lelouch to nod, Suzaku taking another breath before speaking again. "Just, tell me what I can do. Tell me the plan."

"There is no plan."

"Then make one and tell me what to do." Lelouch shook his head, not even sure that Suzaku saw the motion. But the silence was enough to cause the knight to let out a low growl. "Listen, Lelouch, I'm not going to let you die tomorrow. If you don't think of something then I will, and you know how stupid I can be."

Lelouch stared up at the window before sighing and shaking his head. "Get rid of the guy trying to kill you."

"Then what?"

Lelouch stared at the wall, working to come up with the rest of the plan after that. Their first priority would be to get rid of the Britannian soldiers in the village. While the villagers would provide some kind of shield, they wouldn't last long against trained soldiers with weapons and certainly not long enough for him to escape; and leaving villagers to fight to their deaths would be a strike against Zero and the Black Knights.

Still, the fact that there was even a squad of Britannian soldiers in Nippon was something to question. The Black Knights should have been working on capturing them or chasing them out of the country. It wasn't the best strategy, but it kept those in the Black Knights who had no stomach for piece and the newest recruits busy enough while the politics were settled.

And then there was V.V's involvement in this. He had heard enough from his older siblings to realize that his uncle hated the empire and how his brother was running it. If he had been V.V, he would have used the Britannian soldiers to start his own army to go against Charles, especially since the emperor was slowly dying anyway. But V.V. seemed content to let these soldiers capture him and then move on, meaning that V.V. had used this as a gamble to get back Nunnally. He was sure that his capture served some purpose in the scheme of things, but that wasn't what he had to focus on.

The Britannian soldiers were alone and without reinforcements, and there was bound to be a squad of Black Knights coming after them, which meant he had the reinforcements to hold the village and make sure that none of the Britannian soldiers or V.V's men escaped. Then, he and Suzaku could get to Nunnally before V.V. got the news and decided to kill her.

Lelouch took a forward, straining upward on his tip toes, making sure to keep his voice to a low whisper. "Ride out in the direction of the castle and wait until you are a good distance from here to get rid of your follower. Then, try and find the Black Knights."

"That could take too long."

"Suzaku-"

"The castle is two days ride from here! You'll be dead by then."

"Suzaku, listen." He sighed and shook his head. "There should be someone coming after the Britannian soldiers. This deal is out of desperation. I assure you, they'll be close."

"Fine. What then?"

"Lead them here and have them wait."

"Until when."

"Until they hang me." He imagined that Suzaku would jerk in surprise at that, Lelouch shaking his head with a small smile. "But you won't let that happen, will you?"

"Never."

"Good. The Black Knights will take care of the Britannians. Just have Arthur ready to run, nothing but the essentials."

"They'll have a good head start on us."

"We'll close it."

"Right." Lelouch could imagine the smile on Suzaku's face as the knight spoke, sighing when he felt Suzaku's fingers brush against his hair again. He leaned up as far as he could into the touch, slightly disappointed when Suzaku pulled away. "The next guard should be coming soon."

"Don't fail me Suzaku."

He heard Suzaku laugh at that. "I wouldn't dream of it."

Lelouch rolled his eye and let himself lean against the wall, listening to Suzaku walk away. He closed his eye, waiting for the sound of the guard walking past before allowing himself to sink to the floor. Suzaku had gotten away and now all he had to do was wait.

* * *

Suzaku slowed Lancelot down to a trot, glancing around before carefully dismounting and leading the charger over to a tree. He carefully tied up his horse, giving Lancelot a pat on the shoulder before walking back towards the center of the small clearing, making sure to keep his hands away from his sword. He stood in silence for a long moment before shrugging. "Aren't you going to come out?"

There was a rustle somewhere to his right; Suzaku glanced that way quickly before turning to go back to his horse. He was not surprised when an arrow thuncked into the ground beside him. He casually looked down at the arrow. Suzaku went to take another step when he heard someone call out of the forest. "No more moving."

"Or?"

"I'll kill you." Suzaku narrowed his eyes but remained in place, watching as the man edged out of the forest, another arrow already on his bowstring. "I saw you talking to him and I know what you're doing."

"Really?"

The man nodded, pulling the arrow back. "You're going to get Nunnally. I thought we warned you against it."

"You warned Lelouch against it, not me."

"The consequences are the same either way." The man smiled, Suzaku taking a step back automatically. That seemed to encourage the man. "Can you just imagine the look on Lelouch's face when he realizes what we've done?"

Suzaku shrugged before walking back to the horse, feeling the Geass activate a moment later, bringing him to a stop. He heard the man behind him laugh, taking advantage of the fact that he had his back turned to the man to smirk. Suzaku shifted like he was going to move, hearing the man's laughter. He reached for his sword, taking a quick step backwards. He pulled the sword out, slamming his shoulder into the man.

The arrow clipped his shoulder as the man fell backwards, Suzaku flinching and taking a step back. He rolled his shoulder, reaching out with his other hand to wrestle the bow away from the man, giving him a good kick in the side. While the man was rolling around on the ground in pain, Suzaku adjusted his hold on the sword, getting a two handed grip before plunging it down into the man's chest. The man gasped, reaching up to try and push the sword out of him before he went limp, hands scraping over the sides of the blade.

Suzaku held that position for a moment longer before sighing and yanking his sword out, making sure to wipe the blood off the blade. He slid it back into the scabbard, staring at the body of the man on the ground. He could just leave him here, but then V.V. might send someone to check. Suzaku sighed, leaning over to pull the man away from the clearing, shoving him in some bushes before sticking a broken branch into the wound. The set up wouldn't hold up under an examination, but it would give them a moment of confusion. And, hopefully, that would be enough to keep Lelouch and Nunnally alive.

He hurried back over to where he had left Lancelot, sparing a moment to stroke the horse's neck. Lancelot probably smelled the blood from the man and thought that they were going into battle. Suzaku rolled his eyes and untied the horse, leading him away from overhanging branches and mounting up. Almost before he was settled, Lancelot pricked his ears forward and lurched into a gallop, Suzaku reaching for the reins and trying to pull his charger to a stop. Lancelot just shook his head, ignoring Suzaku's shouted commands and tugs on the reins.

Giving up, Suzaku ducked close to his horse's neck, having to narrow his eyes to protect them from the whipping mane. He felt branches scrape against his back, some of them slapping against Lancelot's flanks, but the charger didn't change his speed.

He looked up as his horse gave a breathy whinny, feeling Lancelot switch leads as they thundered down the path, Suzaku pushing up from his position only to curse and haul back on the reins as he found himself charging right a group of mounted Black Knights. All he got for his efforts was an ache in his shoulders, Suzaku cursing before tugging hard on the left rein, digging his left heel into Lancelot's side and forcing the charger to make a turn.

For a moment, Suzaku thought that Lancelot was going to fall over, the charger scrambling to get his footing before he slowed, coming down to a trot. Suzaku released the breath that he had been holding, pulling his horse to a stop and staring at the Black Knights, most of the squad staring at him in awe. The only one that didn't seem too impressed with his entrance was Kallen, the woman glaring at him before urging her roan mare to stand by Lancelot. "You idiot! You could have killed your horse!"

"Thanks for the concern." Suzaku ducked the punch to his head, glaring at the woman before edging Lancelot away. "I knew what I was doing."

"Obviously from the way you charged us. What were you thinking?"

"Lancelot bolted."

Kallen stared at him before throwing both hands into the air. "Of course, blame it on the horse."

Suzaku reached up to rub his forehead, keeping a tight grip on the reins as Lancelot continued to jig. "Not now."

"Yes now!" Kallen edged her mare closer to him again. "If you weren't Zero's knight I would have you with the foot soldiers for that move!"

There were a few muffled chuckles from the men who were following her, Suzaku turning in the saddle to glare at them before leaning forward. "Not. Now." He waited until Kallen huffed and settled back in the saddle; sure that he had her attention. "I have news from Zero."

"Finally!"

He ignored her outburst. "A small group of Britannian soldiers are in the next village. I assume you are the ones chasing them." There were nods from the group, Suzaku breathing a sigh of relief. Lelouch's plan just might work then. "Zero orders that you hold them in that village, prevent them from killing civilians, but do what you like with them."

"So we ride in now?"

"No. You will wait until the hanging."

"Hanging?"

Suzaku forced a smile on his face. "Zero is going to make a miraculous escape."

He watched Kallen stew for a moment, pitying her the job of being the leader to Zero's elite. It had condemned to a life of constantly chasing after him during his crazy schemes. The protection of their leader was something that she preferred not to leave to Suzaku alone, a fact that she had told him many times to his face. She finally gave a sharp nod, the only sign of her agitation the tightening of her hands on the reins. "And then he'll come back?"

Suzaku forced himself not to flinch at that, raising one shoulder in a partial shrug. "There's one last thing he has to do."

"Damn it, Suzaku! I don't care. We need him back at the castle! You can drag him behind Lancelot for all I care, he just needs to get back!"

He debated telling Kallen about Nunnally, finally shrugging and deciding to edge around the truth of the subject. "He's found a royal that may be sympathetic to our cause and is capable of ruling Britannia."

Kallen's mouth dropped open, the woman staring at him before shaking her head. "No. None of the heirs care about us."

"This one does. Just give us the time to talk to her and then I'll drag Zero back."

She bit her lip, Suzaku leaning back and watching her carefully. Lelouch would kill him for even thinking about putting Nunnally on the throne, and he could see Lelouch's objections. Nunnally was naïve in the workings of the world, she was crippled and her first instinct when faced with something difficult was to retreat to where it was safe. None of those were qualities of a strong ruler. But Nunnally was their best chance at freeing all of the Areas without being locked in a long war, and Lelouch was no closer to snatching the throne from his remaining brothers and sisters.

If they spoke to Nunnally, maybe got some of the remaining heirs to side with them, it would work out. Even then Nunnally didn't have to be empress; she just had to have a position of power. Suzaku doubted that even Schniezel could stand up to her if Nunnally was determined to have her way.

Suzaku twitched slightly as he realized what he had been thinking; sure that Lelouch would kill him if any of this got out. The prince had said numerous times that he didn't want his little sister being used as a political tool, and Suzaku was offering her up as just that.

"Fine." Kallen sighed, glaring at him for good measure. "Lead us then, Knight of Zero."

Suzaku gave her a quick bow, barely dodging the punch that she threw at him. He was relieved when she laughed, keeping Lancelot off to the side as she went back to those under her command and told them the plan, feeling the sweat start to gather on his palms. He just had to lead them back to the village and wait for the morning. Suzaku felt his stomach twist at that, not sure that he could just stand back and watch Lelouch walk calmly to his death. He ducked his head and took a deep breath; he would just have to focus on one thing at a time then, just to keep himself from thinking about that eventual end.


	11. Running

** Chapter Ten: Running **

Nunnally was gently shaken awake by one of the men, carefully extracting herself from the blanket that she had wrapped herself in late the night before. Her uncle had insisted on riding on into the night, trying to get them back to the tower as fast as he could. She took a deep breath and let her hands fall onto her lap, staring at them as she listened to the sounds of the rest of the men packing up the camp, none of them bothering to even talk to her. She missed the friendly banter between Suzaku and Lelouch as they readied for the ride ahead, Nunnally wincing at the memory of her brother and his knight. She shouldn't be missing them, they were wanted criminals and it was only right that a future empress distanced from them.

She would probably be presiding over Suzaku's death eventually.

She looked up as her uncle approached her, staring at her for a long time. Nunnally ducked her head under the scrutiny, not even looking up as he lifted her up into his arms, bringing her over to his horse. She automatically grabbed a handful of mane to keep herself steady, waiting for V.V. to mount up behind her. To her surprise, he walked away from the horse. Nunnally looked down at the reins that rested just inches from her fingers.

It would be so easy to just reach out and grab the reins. Then she could get the horse moving, somehow, and then… But she had nowhere to go.

Nunnally's hand dropped from the mane, her eyes widening as she realized the extent of what she had done. By deciding to go back with V.V, she had condemned herself to a future of being moved around and eventually used. But she had known that, it hadn't been her first choice, but she had seen a way out if she had outlived V.V. or someone had decided to help her push the man out of the seat of power. It was the problem of who to turn to after that brought her up short. Suzaku and the Black Knights would probably never want to associate with her because of her connections to V.V. and Lelouch would be dead.

She saw that her hand was shaking, only then realizing that she was shaking all over, looking up with wide eyes at the men who surrounded her. Only a few bothered to make eye contact with her, but those few glances were enough for her to realize that they all felt sorry for her. They saw her as she really was, a frightened little girl who had never been in control of her life; even her idea of safety was flawed. It shouldn't have been with V.V. and the tower; it should have been with Lelouch. V.V. obviously didn't care about Nunnally; he cared about the princess Nunnally vi Britannia and what she could get him.

Even now she didn't want to acknowledge it, some part of her searching for that one place where she could be safe and hide from the world. But there was no place; there was no hiding from the world and what was happening. And her old way of just letting people deal with her problems for her disgusted her now.

Nunnally swallowed, nodding to herself. She would take the reins and turn the horse in the direction of the village. Hopefully she would get there before Lelouch was hanged, that way she could demand an explanation for the lies and still keep the one person who had cared about the girl behind the princess. Of course, this wouldn't be complete forgiveness; it was her willing to break the image of the perfect world she had lived in for so long.

She never got the chance, Nunnally slumping as V.V. swung up into the saddle behind her. He reached out for the reins, taking a tight grip on them before kicking the horse forward. She reached out for a handful of mane, using that to settle her in place, staring ahead of her as they trotted through the forest.

"I'm proud of you. You made the right decision." She tipped her head to the side to show that she had heard her uncle. "You could have run back. Did you want to?"

"Yes." It didn't matter anymore; Lelouch would be dead in a few hours. And she was tired of the lies.

"Ah, thought so." V.V. chuckled to himself. "What did Lelouch say to convince you to stay with him?"

"Nothing. He tried to find me a safe place to stay."

"That's why he took you to the witch."

Nunnally looked up at that. C.C, a witch? The woman had looked nothing like the witches in her books, old and bent. Of course, C.C. had kept herself aloof, but there was no sign of her being a witch aside from the contract that she had kept reminding Lelouch about.

"What happened after that, Nunnally?"

"I asked to stay with him."

"You wanted to join the Black Knights?"

"Yes." She felt him tense at that, ducking her head. "I wanted to feel useful."

"Ah."

V.V. didn't say anything to her after that, Nunnally staring ahead at the forest, staring at the trees as they past and trying to grasp onto the beauty that had once captivated her before. The sunlight wasn't magical this time; it was just a measure of time, ticking away the seconds left in Lelouch's life. She closed her eyes, feeling tears prick at the corners of her eyes. She had never witnessed a hanging in her life, but the reaction of the people was enough.

It wasn't until hours later, when V.V. and the others had slowed the horses down to a walk that he spoke again, Nunnally looking up abruptly at the light tone of voice. "If all has gone well, Lelouch should be on his way to his just punishment right now."

"W-will it be a quick death?"

V.V. seemed to consider her statement for a moment before shrugging. "The drop might snap his neck, but he might just be skinny enough to survive that. So he'll choke to death."

"What?"

"It's the common punishment for all criminals, Nunnally, and a good example for the people."

She swallowed, closing her eyes. She didn't want to imagine Lelouch choking, clawing at something around his neck. But she didn't want the image of Lelouch with a broken neck either. Nunnally wrapped one arm around her stomach, holding herself as V.V. continued to push them at a fast pace through the forest.

"We'll be home before nightfall. We'll leave tomorrow, somewhere the Black Knights won't find you."

Nunnally didn't bother to respond, hanging her head and reaching a hand to wipe her eyes. She allowed herself to be carried along, not bothering to make eye contact with any of the men or her uncle, preferring to be lost in her own thoughts.

They didn't stop for lunch or dinner, Nunnally wordlessly accepting her food and nibbling on it. She was partially done with her dinner of a roll stuffed with meat when they reached the cave that led to the tower, the last crumbs of her meal falling from her fingers. She stared at the dangling vines, holding her eyes shut as V.V. slid off the horse from behind her, leading the animal through the cave.

Nunnally ducked close to the horse's neck, keeping her eyes closed until V.V. stopped the horse, opening them to stare at the tower that had been her home for thirteen years. She sighed, keeping her eyes on the ground as her uncle led the horse around to the door that was kept blocked off. A jerk of his head had men working to clear the door, stopping where there was enough room for her and V.V. to fit through.

She accepted his help to get down off the horse, holding tightly to her uncle as he stepped through the door and started up the spiral staircase that led to her rooms at the top of the tower. Behind her, the men were starting to block up the entrance to the tower, Nunnally turning to stare at them before looking back at her uncle.

"They'll have it open by the time we're ready to go, and they'll defend it."

"No one will come after me."

V.V. shrugged, Nunnally clinging to him as the move jostled her. "It's better to be safe, especially after what happened last time."

She nodded slowly, glancing up to where the staircase ended and the trapdoor that led to her rooms. She had always known that it was there, but below the floor of the circular room at the top the spell that allowed her to walk ran out. Besides, there had never been a reason to attempt to go down these stairs; she knew that the door was blocked and that the ones who had been closest to her were dead. The latter was true again, Nunnally biting her lip to keep tears from running down her face.

Suddenly, she was exhausted. She just wanted to go to sleep and try to forget the day. Tomorrow, she would wake up and figure out what to do, although just surrendering to whatever her uncle had in mind was sounding like a better idea. She wasn't like Lelouch; she didn't have it in her to change the world. She barely had the initiative to change her own life.

"Nunnally." She looked up at the sound of her name, blushing when she realized that V.V. was standing under the trapdoor. She reached up to push it open; hearing the false stone on the other side hit the floor. Then she was being pushed into the room, Nunnally grabbing a hold of the edge before pulling herself up. For a moment, her legs wobbled before they accepted her weight, Nunnally getting used to the feeling of being able to move around on her own. She took a few stumbling steps into the center of the room, looking around it before letting her shoulders droop.

A hand landed on her shoulder, startling her. Nunnally spun around, V.V. keeping a strong hold on her shoulder until she had calmed again. "Go and get some rest. The packing won't be too arduous, especially with so little left."

She nodded automatically and shuffled up the stairs to her room, shutting the door behind her before stumbling into her bed. Nunnally groped for the edge of the blanket, not caring that she was still wearing her travel stained clothes. She wrapped the blankets around her, cocooning herself in their warmth before she pressed her fact to the pillow and cried.

* * *

Lelouch jolted awake as he was shoved to the floor, lifting his head from the dirt to stare at the two guards that loomed over him. The Britannian soldiers seemed to enjoy his humiliation, laughing at him before lifting him from the floor, taking care to make sure they inflicted as much pain as they could. He even got a muffled "So sorry, your highness" as he was pushed out into the cell and into the narrow hall.

He barely missed slamming into the wall opposite of his cell, Lelouch looking back over his shoulder to glare at the guards. He didn't get much time to glare, one of them shoving him against the wall and pinning him there as the man checked the knot on the cloth over his left eye. Lelouch growled, putting up a bit of a struggle, just enough for them to realize that he was completely helpless. As long as they focused on that, they wouldn't look too hard at the villagers. He hoped that the whole spectacle would keep the soldiers from looking too hard at the crowd.

Lelouch was led outside, more soldiers forming up a guard around him as he was walked across the village square to the tree that was beside the pond. He raised an eyebrow at their choice of location, his gaze straying to the few candles that were still drifting on the pond, only a few of them still lit. Lelouch found himself picking out the candles that Nunnally had made. He stopped himself from looking them over, swallowing and staring at the rope that was tied to a branch.

He turned his head to look at the crowd, taking a note of all the sad and angry faces, forcing the smile from his face as he spotted a few that he recognized. Lelouch was forced to look away from the crowd a moment later as he was cuffed on the side of the head, jerking away from the guards at that. The grumbling from the crowd grew louder at that, Lelouch smiling to himself as he was forced to the base of the tree.

A guard grabbed a handful of his hair and pulled his head back, Lelouch nearly losing his balance as they pushed the noose over his head. He was escorted to the bucket commandeered for the event, careful to keep his balance on the bucket. Lelouch drew himself as far up as he could, looking down at the captain of the soldiers as the man marched around to the front.

He saw the man hesitate, the captain realizing the mistake that he had made. By letting Lelouch stand on the bucket before addressing him, he had to look up at the criminal. Lelouch smirked down at the captain, getting a tug on the rope for the move. He grunted but kept the smirk on his face, staring down at the captain as the man gathered himself back together.

"Zero, also known as Lelouch vi Britannia, former prince of the empire of Britannia, you have been accused of inciting rebellion and leading rebellious subjects against their Britannian superiors. You have also been accused of the murder of multiple princes and princesses of Britannia including Prince Clovis and Princess Euphemia." The captain looked up at him, disgust clear on his face. "You are to hang from the neck until proclaimed dead, and then your body will be displayed in this village for three days. After which, your head will be removed to display above the castle gates in Pendragon as a further warning."

The crowd grew louder at this, Lelouch noticing a few of the Black Knight members looking frightened at the proclamation. He met Kallen's gaze, the woman glaring at him. He was sure that he would have to face her wrath as soon as this was over, and he was counting on the shock that was coming from seeing him unmasked. But the time for secrecy was long over. He sighed and glanced down at the captain, the man obviously expecting him to deny something of what he said. Lelouch just waited patiently, watching the man twitch irritably before motioning for one of his men to come forward. "Any last words?"

Lelouch just gave him a shrug, watching as the captain raised his hand before turning back to the crowd and smirking. "Nippon Banzai."

The bucket was kicked out from under him at that moment, Lelouch gasping at the sound change. There was a sudden pressure around his neck, Lelouch twisting as he fought to find something to stand on. He had been counting on the fact that his neck wouldn't break at the sudden drop and on the fact that the initial panic would disappear quickly; but he couldn't focus on anything other than the feeling of the rope biting into his neck, trying to draw in a breath.

He barely heard the shout from the crowd as the Black Knights attacked, gasping for breath. He felt people knocking against him, pushing him from one way to another, Lelouch trying to use them to stand on, anything to keep himself from strangling to death.

"Lelouch!" There was a grunt from below him before he was lifted up, Lelouch's vision clearing as he gasped for breath. He felt the person below him turn slightly. "I've got you. Just hold still."

Lelouch obeyed, sucking in deep breaths and trying to make his head stop spinning. He felt cold press against his hands for a moment before the bonds around his hands were cut free. Lelouch immediately reached up to tug the noose from around his neck, panting for breath as he slumped. He looked down at his rescuer and smiled as he saw Suzaku looking back up at him. The moment of relief only lasted a moment as Lelouch swayed and topped from Suzaku's shoulders.

The knight caught him, wrapping an arm around Lelouch's waist and dragging him from the scuffle that was going on around them. Lelouch lifted his head as he saw Kallen run past them and tackle a soldier to the ground, letting his head drop back to Suzaku's shoulder, taking slow breaths as he tried to recover.

"Can you ride?"

"M-maybe." It was an effort to get the word out, Lelouch coughing. Suzaku stopped long enough to allow him to catch his breath before continuing to drag him away.

"We'll both go on Lancelot."

"No." Lelouch pulled himself away from Suzaku, stumbling for a few steps before regaining his balance. He rubbed his neck, wincing at the soreness there before reaching for the cloth and fumbling with the knot. "We need to travel as fast as we can."

Suzaku knew better than to argue, Lelouch letting the cloth drop to the ground, racing towards where Arthur and Lancelot were tied. He managed to cover a fourth of the distance before he had to stop and gasp for breath, Lelouch coughing and waiting for the dizzy spell to pass. He had to keep walking and leave here as fast as he could, the small fight taking place behind him could get worse quickly and he was in no shape to be caught in that. Lelouch coughed one more time before straightening up, settling for walking quickly to where the horses were.

He untied Arthur, surprised when Suzaku helped him onto the black charger, the knight lingering at his knee for a moment. Lelouch smiled and reached down to rest a hand on Suzaku's. "I knew you wouldn't disappoint me."

Suzaku nodded, gently taking Lelouch's hand in his own and placing a kiss on the knuckles. Lelouch didn't have time to comment on the strange behavior before Suzaku was slipping away to mount Lancelot. He just stared at his hand before shaking his head and getting a firm hold on the reins. "Kallen knows the plan?"

"Part of it." Suzaku winced. "I had to lie about Nunnally."

"That's fine. I can always say that the plan changed." Lelouch waved away his concerns, turning Arthur in the direction of the tower before kicking the charger into a gallop. Arthur snorted irritably, Lelouch giving the horse his head and hanging on as they ran out of the village, Lancelot following right behind him.

The tower was about a day's ride from the village, and V.V. already had quite a head start on them. Fortunately, if he planned to move Nunnally, he would have to stop at the tower to gather supplies, since Nunnally had left most of her things with him. That would give them time to cut into their lead. But this first day they would push the horses as fast as they could. They could slow down later when they were sure that he was going to keep Nunnally alive.

Lelouch gave Suzaku a quick look over his shoulder before settling back in for the ride, not liking how hard it was to draw a breath at times. He reached up to rub his neck, wincing at the tender skin there before letting his hand drop again. He was sore and a bit winded, but that was the worst of it. He would last the ride and would be better when they stopped to camp.

That thought made him tense, Lelouch fixing his gaze on the trail ahead of them. He didn't want to pause for too long, just long enough for the horses to rest and for them to eat. Any more time and it could be too late. V.V. would keep Nunnally alive for a few days before deciding to kill her or not, just to be sure that he was really dead. Any longer than that and it was because Nunnally had reverted back to the way she had been before. Lelouch was even willing to accept that, because it meant that he only had to free her again and somehow win her trust back.

They only slowed to a walk when both horses were breathing heavily, Lelouch moving over to the edge of the trail so that Suzaku could walk up beside him. The knight gave him a long look, probably checking him over to make sure that he wouldn't keel over suddenly. Lelouch turned to give him a glare, only managing to sway in the saddle.

Suzaku reached out to grab a hold of his shoulder, wincing a moment later when Arthur pressed up against Lancelot. "You alright?"

"Of course I am." Lelouch gave him a long look. "And if you ask again I'm knocking you off your horse."

That got a smile out of the knight, Suzaku relaxing but not taking his hand from Lelouch's shoulder. "I'm glad. For a moment there…"

Lelouch stared at the trail ahead of them before sighing and raising one hand to rest over Suzaku's. "Me too." He hesitated for a moment before lifting his hand and resting his cheek against Suzaku's hand. "Told you it would work out."

"Yeah…" Suzaku swallowed before pulling Lancelot to a stop, reaching out to halt Arthur. He turned to glare at Suzaku, his eyes widening as the knight grabbed the back of his head and drew him into a kiss. Lelouch gasped, dropping the reins and trying to keep his balance. Suzaku just gently tipped him back further onto Arthur, Suzaku's tongue brushing against the roof of his mouth briefly before he pulled away.

Lelouch stared at Suzaku with his mouth still slightly open, torn between his desire to chastise his knight for such a move or pull him back and kiss him again. Instead, he just settled for staring at Suzaku until he remembered what they were doing. Lelouch ducked his head and blushed before, urging Arthur forward. "We don't have time for this."

"Alright, Lelouch."

"I mean it."

"I know you do." Suzaku kept pace with him, refusing to look at him. "But-"

"We can focus on this later. We have to save Nunnally first." That got the nod that he wanted from Suzaku, Lelouch smirking and turning his attention back to the trail, trying to ignore how good it had felt to have Suzaku kissing him again. He gave his head a quick shake, pushing the thoughts away. He had lived without Suzaku's touch before and he could live without it again for a matter of hours. All that mattered now was Nunnally.

They rode until the sun set, alternating between stretches of galloping, trotting and walking, making good time as they stuck to the trail that ran through the forest. It was only when they had to leave the trail to take the more direct route to the tower that their progress slowed. By then, they had to keep their horses to a walk, both animals exhausted from the hard ride. Lelouch was the only one that kept them going, wanting to get as close to the tower as they could. Suzaku quickly stopped suggesting they would stop, Lelouch glad for that.

Unfortunately, he didn't hold up for too long after the sun set, the exhaustion of the long ride and his near hanging catching up to him. Lelouch swayed in the saddle, Suzaku barely reaching him in time to catch him. He leaned against his knight, staring blearily up at Suzaku. "We can't stop."

"Lelouch, you can barely stay on the horse."

"Nunnally…"

"You won't help her if you're dead." Suzaku dismounted awkwardly, keeping a hold on Lelouch to keep him from toppling onto the ground. Only when he was on the ground did he nearly lift Lelouch from the saddle, the prince sagging against him. Moments later, he was on the ground, Suzaku taking the time to lead the horses away. Lelouch watched him before closing his eyes with a long sigh. He was shaken awake when Suzaku came back. "Eat this, and then you can sleep."

He automatically chewed the food, not caring that it tasted horrible or that it was just jerky instead of something that they had caught fresh on the trail. He could hear Suzaku rustling around as the knight set up camp, Lelouch not feeling guilty for once that he was too exhausted for help, swallowing the last of his pitiful meal before tipping over onto his side, ready to fall asleep where he sat.

"Lelouch?" He looked up as Suzaku, cursing the knight under his breath as Suzaku splayed himself out over the blanket that he and spread out on the ground, the second blanket held open expectantly.

Lelouch dragged himself over, shunning the saddlebags to use Suzaku's shoulder as a pillow. He heard the knight give a soft grunt of surprise before dropping the second blanket over them. Some part of Lelouch still observed the fact that he was still wearing his clothes, the same clothes from yesterday that were still stained from his semen and sweat, as well as his boots. Normally, he would immediately sprint for the nearest stream to wash off, but he couldn't bring himself to move. Everything ached and breathing was so much easier when he just stayed in one spot. He sighed and nuzzled Suzaku's neck, the motion more to get him comfortable than a sign of affection, but the arm that Suzaku draped over his waist wasn't objectionable either.

* * *

V.V. finished packing the last of the bags, lowering the few supplies out of the window by the rope to the men waiting below, watching as they took them and loaded them on the horses. Some scouts had been sent out to find another suitable place for him and Nunnally to stay, and this time he wouldn't give the girl the privilege of being able to walk. It was his Geass that allowed for her to walk in the tower, a sort of spell aimed at strengthening her that had been placed in the blocks of this tower. Perhaps that privilege had been too much for her.

He tapped his fingers against the window before pushing away, staring at the interior of the tower. Nunnally was becoming too much of a burden. Now that she had seen the world, she would be encouraged to explore more of it. Not only that, but her Geass would have grown stronger having to keep up its effect with all of those strange people. Odysseus was just as calm as his half sister and desperate to keep his claim on the throne. There was a deal to be made there.

But neither of them had the willpower or the intelligence to take on Schniezel, the only one that he thought could do that was Lelouch, and it was too late to turn the prince over to his side. Even if he hadn't turned him in to be hanged, Lelouch had seen him and the assassin he had hired the night that he had stolen Nunnally. If only he had worked out a way to use Lelouch against Schniezel instead of rushing to get Nunnally back. Then again, Nunnally would work against Schniezel as well. After all, Schniezel was nearly desperate to gather his siblings in one place to be sure that they were safe from the threat that Zero had posed. He had even risked the scorn of the dying emperor and brought Cornelia back.

V.V. tipped his head to the side, staring at the door that led to Nunnally's room. Going to Odysseus would mean that he would have to start again, although Odysseus wouldn't be as much hard work. The man already had his vision of the ideal world that he wanted, but his passivity meant that V.V. could easily convince him to work another way. Odysseus would be willing to free the Areas if there was a way to strengthen the empire from the inside, and strengthening was V.V's specialty.

Cornelia and Schniezel would be taken care of quickly after that. The former would be sent off into battle if need be and it would be easy to find something on Schniezel or accuse him of something false; either way would get him executed. There was that aide that Schniezel kept extremely close to him at all times…

Whatever way he decided to do it, he had to get the last two heirs out of the way. All except for Nunnally. But, if his plan went through, that meant that he would have to kill her before he left, or work something out for her to remain silent.

It wouldn't be hard to convince Odysseus that his sister had been killed by Zero, he had managed bigger lies. It could be the one last crime that Zero had done before he had been captured and killed. With the revenge path already taken, Odysseus would have to bend to the idea of taking over the throne and working to keep his last two siblings alive. And, if they really annoyed him, V.V. could always have them killed too. The Knight of Zero was still out there.

Even then that excuse would only work for a month at the most, the man tailing Sir Kururugi had orders to kill the young man before the month was out, as long as he left the knight alive long enough to see Lelouch hang.

Still, there were always the Black Knights.

V.V. smirked to himself as he stood up straight. That would be three of his enemies knocked out of the way with only Nunnally remaining as an annoyance. But that was easily taken care of too; he would just offer her a choice and see what she decided to do.

He straightened his shirt before walking up the stairs towards her room, knocking on the door before sitting on the bed. He tipped his head to the side, noticing the tear tracks on her face before deciding to ignore them, reaching out and shaking her shoulder.

Nunnally woke up slowly, blinking at him before pushing herself up. "Uncle?"

"Come downstairs. There's something I want to discuss with you."

* * *

Nunnally swung her legs over the side of the bed, yawning into her hand again. She heard V.V. leaving the room, waiting until he was downstairs to quickly change into the spare set of clothes that she had here. The dress she had been wearing was folded up neatly, Nunnally settling it over her arms. She ran a hand through her hair, deciding that it would work for now before turning and walking down the stairs.

She probably hadn't been asleep for too long, maybe just for a few hours. Then again, V.V. had said that they were going to leave as soon as possible. Knowing her uncle, he had already packed what he could and lowered it to the ground, meaning that she would just have to gather the few items she had left behind and ready herself for another trip out into the world.

Nunnally stepped down onto the cold stone floor of the main room, her eyes widening as a sharp pain went through her hip. She dropped the dress that she had been holding, reaching for the banister. Her hands closed around the wooden pole as he legs gave out, Nunnally sinking to the floor. She whimpered, pressing her forehead against the pole, biting her lip to keep any other sounds from escaping.

"Nunnally."

"Uncle," she forced out the word, leaning around her hold to look at him, "something's wrong with the spell."

"There's nothing wrong with it."

"I...I can't walk."

"Of course you can't." Nunnally mouth fell open as V.V. walked over to her, glaring down at her. "I had to remove the spell for when we move."

"Oh."

"And for your punishment."

Nunnally jerked at that, letting go of the pole as V.V. came to lean on it. "Punishment?"

"You disobeyed me Nunnally. You left the tower when I told you not to." V.V. paused for a moment, staring at her before narrowing his eyes. "And you were ready to join the Black Knights."

Nunnally found it impossible to talk, staring up at her uncle as he loomed over her. "I thought that I had taught you better than that. And why would you go with them when they were the cause of all of your half brothers and sisters' deaths?"

"Because I wanted to be useful!" She blurted the words out before she had a chance to think about them. Nunnally blushed and looked away, taking a deep breath to steady herself. "I wanted to be with Lelouch and be useful for once instead of being carried around."

"But you are useful."

"Yes, but I don't want to be used." She lifted her head, trying her best to look like a princess and less like a cringing young woman. "And that's all you plan to do, have me run the empire for you."

V.V. raised an eyebrow, giving her a long look before turning away. Nunnally took a deep breath, waiting for the rebuke that she knew was coming. She relaxed when nothing happened, her heart beating slightly faster. She licked her lips before plunging onward. "You lied about Lelouch being dead and the way the world works. What else have you lied to me about?"

"Too much to even bother rectifying that wrong now." V.V. sighed and went over to sit in the chair, the only piece of furniture that had been removed from the room. He pressed the tips of his fingers together, staring at her before chuckling and shaking his head. "But what makes Lelouch better than me? He lied to you too."

Nunnally winced. "He did."

"Ah," V.V. smirked, "so you don't deny that? Aren't you going to justify it by saying that he was trying to protect you?"

"No."

"So, you hate me for lying to you and yet your own brother lied to you as well. Excuse me if I don't believe your sincerity."

"Uncle-"

"A lie of omission is still a lie. And all lies are made out of necessity." He leaned forward. "What will your next defense of your dear brother be?"

"He loves me."

"He loves you?" V.V. considered that for a moment before he nodded slowly. "Yes, he did love you. That's why he's dead. He wouldn't escape if there was a chance of you getting killed."

Nunnally's eyes widened at that, her hands reaching up to clutch at the banister. Lelouch would never do anything if it put her in danger, she knew that. But then, when they were first kidnapped, why did he try to escape without her? If he had searched for her since then, why would he try to leave without her? And that escape attempt, why would he have bothered to go through with it if he knew the repercussions of his failure; it wasn't too far of a jump to think that if one of them was caught, the proper punishment would be to hurt the other. So why had Lelouch tried to escape?

And that led her to his capture the day before. He hadn't even put up a struggle, not even when they had revealed his identity as Zero. That identity was probably the most important thing to him; it was his way to move around the empire without being constrained by his royal heritage. His secrecy was the only thing that had separated him from the Black Knights, Nunnally was sure that they would be more reluctant to trust a royal of the line that had attacked their countries. By all logic, the time to escape should have been then, but Lelouch had just stood there and let them do whatever they wanted. He wouldn't have given up all of that unless there was a danger to the ones the cared about, a danger to her.

She gasped, looking up at her uncle to find V.V. smirking. He had told her that he would make one more attempt to convince her at the Remembrance Day ceremonies, something that she had just thought was an empty threat. But V.V. had come up with the one thing that would make her want to run, the appearance of Zero, the man that he had trained her to hate and fear. And she had reacted according to plan.

"W-what did you do to him?" V.V. chuckled to himself before shrugging. Nunnally dragged herself closer to V.V. "What did you make him do?"

Her uncle shrugged but his smirk remained on his face. "I didn't make him do anything. I merely pointed out a few unfortunate events that would happen if he decided to continue on as Zero."

"Who did you threaten?"

"I don't see why this matters now."

"Uncle, who did you threaten?"

V.V. sighed but relented. "Sir Kururugi. And I may have implied that you were in danger."

Nunnally stared at him before shaking her head. "Put the spell back up."

"Nunnally-"

"Put the spell back up and-No. Get out of this tower!" He stared at her in shock, Nunnally struggling pull herself back up. "Get out of his tower and never come back!"

"Nunnally, you're being-"

"I'm doing what I should have done! I've spent all these years in here because you told me to, I've done everything because you told me to. Lelouch may have told me to do things, but he would explain why when I asked. When I ask you, you just shoved the blame onto Zero or someone else. You spent your time making sure I was useless for anything other than what you wanted me for. Lelouch may have lied to me, but he never intended to use me!"

V.V. stared at her, waiting for her outburst to end before standing up. Nunnally took a deep breath, making sure to glare back at him. She didn't know what punishment she had called upon herself for shouting at her uncle like that, but she was willing to face it.

The expected slap or harsh words didn't come, V.V. just standing over her before grabbing her arm with one hand and a handful of her hair with his other. Nunnally yelped in pain, reaching up with her free arm to scratch at her uncle, V.V. ignoring her struggles as he dragged her over to the trapdoor. She was thrown against the wall, Nunnally scrambling to get away, but V.V. was faster.

He picked up the rope that he had used to lower the bags down, calmly knocking her onto her stomach and tying her arms behind her back. The rope was then wrapped around her arms to keep her in place, V.V. holding the end of it as he stared at her. "I will have no more of this nonsense Nunnally. I have done nothing to deserve this verbal abuse; I was just looking out for you interests."

"No you-"

V.V. slapped her, Nunnally whimpering at the initial pain before turning to stare at her uncle, trying to imitate Lelouch's cold glare. She must have done a good job because V.V. laughed at her, tugging on the rope. "You chose the wrong time to decide to think on your own. If you would have waited until you were on the throne, then you would actually have power. Now you're only being a nuisance." He paused for a moment, smiling down at her. "It will be a shame to return to Pendragon with the news, that Zero killed Princess Nunnally before he was captured. I tried to stop him, but it was too late, I could only hand him over to Britannian soldiers before burying her properly. And I'll offer my services to help find where the poor princess was buried."

"No!"

"You've made your choice, Nunnally." His hard glare softened a bit, V.V. tilting his head to the side. "I would have loved to see you as the empress. You could have really helped save Britannia."

She shook her head, wiggling futilely as V.V. tied to her to a support beam. He stepped away, the almost affectionate expression disappearing quickly. Nunnally wanted nothing more than to beg for his forgiveness, but she held her tongue, trying to keep aloof. This man was the one who had ruined her life and killed her brother for his own gain; she could never forgive him that. And now he was planning to kill her, just because she had finally spoken out.

Nunnally jumped at the sounds of screaming from below, hearing V.V. curse as he ran over to the window. She strained against her bonds, trying to pull away from the support. She froze as she heard V.V. mutter "Impossible" under his breath before taking a step back from the windowsill, backing into the shadows of the room. She watched him go, her eyes widening as he pointed at her. "Stay silent."

Surprised, she did as he said and focused on the window, carefully manipulating her hands behind her back to try and loosen the rope. If the person who was causing all the commotion down there was coming to help her, then she wanted to be ready to go. Nunnally closed her eyes and took a deep breath, readying herself for a fight. This time, she wouldn't just allow herself to be dragged away or be useless. This time she would fight and try to prove to herself that she could have made Lelouch proud.


	12. Rescue

** Chapter Eleven: Rescue **

He didn't even realize that he had fallen asleep. He remembered finding a comfortable spot on Suzaku to use as a pillow and then waking up later in the night. Lelouch blinked, not daring to raise his head from Suzaku as he looked around. It had been stupid of them not to set someone on watch, but he supposed that Lancelot would have woken them up. Still, they had stopped before he had said that would.

Lelouch sighed and rubbed his eye, slightly surprised that there wasn't a brief moment of resistance, only then realizing that he hadn't replaced the illusion over his eye again. He groaned, feeling Suzaku's arm tighten around him for a moment before the knight relaxed, Lelouch shaking his head.

From what he could tell, it was just before dawn, the first hints of grey touching the sky. Lelouch narrowed his eyes at that. They had slept too long. While the rest was probably needed for the horses, they needed to get to the tower soon, before the trail became too cold to follow. He sighed and pressed his face into Suzaku's neck, taking a deep breath before letting it out slowly, feeling Suzaku shiver.

He wouldn't wake Suzaku up for this, although the knight would probably wake up before he had a chance to get away. Then again, he could always explain this to Suzaku while on the trail. Either way, he was in for a lecture when Suzaku realized what he was doing.

Lelouch lifted his head from Suzaku's shoulder, rolling over onto his other side, feeling Suzaku's arm fall from his waist. He remained like that for a moment before carefully slipping out from under the blankets. He turned away before he was tempted to watch Suzaku sleep. The sudden switch in his mental state would take some getting used to, especially since he wanted to stare and touch now that he had been given permission, and it was so tempting. He shook his head and walked as quietly as he could over to Arthur, quickly untying the horse.

"-louch?" He froze at the sleepy mumble from Suzaku, the knight completely awake in a matter of seconds. "What are you doing?"

"We have to go."

"No."

"Suzaku, I can't wait any longer."

The knight groaned and hauled himself from the ground. "You can't have gotten more than five hours of sleep."

"I've gone with less."

"Lelouch, you were nearly killed yesterday."

"And Nunnally could be killed today!" He glared at his friend before shrugging and swinging up onto Arthur's back. "You follow when you're ready, Suzaku."

Before the knight could protest again, Lelouch kicked Arthur, the black charger cantering off. Lelouch was sure that Suzaku was cursing him by now and scrambling to get to Lancelot, the prince smiling at that thought. At least he had gotten his knight moving. And, this way, there was a small possibility that he could cut off V.V. before they left the tower, if they hadn't yet.

He gave Arthur his head, the horse eagerly taking the chance to run. Lelouch narrowed his eyes against the whipping mane, trying to find landmarks that he recognized. They were heading in the right direction, he knew that much, but the problem came when they had to find the cave itself. Lelouch cursed under his breath and pulled Arthur to a halt, sliding from the saddle before beginning to examine the ground. V.V. would have had his men with him, which meant that there would have been tracks of some sort. Lelouch doubted that his uncle would waste time covering their tracks when he believed that Lelouch was dead.

He had to jump out of the way seconds later as Suzaku came galloping up, the knight glaring at him before pointing off in one direction. "The tracks are over there."

Lelouch clambered back up onto Arthur, letting Suzaku take the lead as they galloped through the forest, following the tracks left by V.V. From the little glimpses of the tracks that Lelouch got, they seemed to be relatively fresh, which meant that they were right behind them, which was good. The ravine where the tower was could only be accessed by the cave. V.V. would be trapped there.

He smiled to himself as they galloped around a bend, hauling Arthur to a stop and snatching his sword from its place as he dismounted. He kept a good grip on the charger's reins as he led him into the cave, ignoring Suzaku's protests. He was too close now to stop, not with this one chance to save his sister.

"Lelouch." He jumped as Suzaku grabbed his shoulder, turning to glare at the knight. He rolled his shoulder to get Suzaku to let go of him, flipping Arthur's reins over the horse's head before slapping the charger. Arthur snorted and raced out of the cave, Lelouch listening to the surprised shouts from the men, getting a better grip on his sword before walking out.

As he expected, the sudden appearance of the horse had thrown them into disarray, but it had also focused their attention towards the cave. All of the men were staring at him in shock, dropping the things they were carrying. Fortunately, none of them had recovered enough to reach for their weapons, which left him the time he needed.

Lelouch smirked, taking a few more steps before coming to a stop. "Lelouch vi Britannia commands you all, die."

"Yes, your highness!"

He turned away before they could strike the first blow, walking over to the tower and staring up at the window. For a moment, he thought he saw V.V's face, cursing before walking around the base of the tower, only to find that the door was still blocked up. Lelouch broke into a jog, circling back around until he was under the window again, craning his head up.

Lelouch turned around as Suzaku came running up, his sword already drawn. The knight gave the window a single glance before shaking his head. "Let's find another way in."

"No, the only other entrance is blocked."

"Then we unblock it."

"We don't have time!" Lelouch glared at him, expecting Suzaku to back down. Instead the knight just shoved his sword back in its scabbard and stormed around to the tower. Lelouch stared after him before shaking his head, throwing down his sword and getting a hold of the wall and the nearest vine. Suzaku was wasting his time trying to pull down the wall, and then there was the climb up into the tower itself, if there was even a way into the top room. It was just too much time that would be wasted.

He took a deep breath before beginning the climb up the tower, gritting his teeth and forcing himself to move as fast as he could. Still, he had to choose his holds carefully, Lelouch pressing himself close to the tower when the vine he had been using in his ascent pulled away from the tower. He turned his head to the side to watch it fall to the ground, looking back up to the window before beginning to use the cracks in the stone, his momentum slowed until he could reach where the vine had given out. The stone, while exposed, didn't offer quite enough handholds to get up the tower by them alone. Lelouch heaved a relieved sigh when he wrapped a hand around the vine, pausing to be sure of his hold before beginning his climb again.

The ascent was easier this time, probably because he had established a good route during the days that he had stayed with Nunnally, although he was winded by the time he was halfway up the tower. Lelouch groaned, allowing himself a minute to catch his breath, his arms trembling from the effort. Another glance up at the window showed that it was still open. Lelouch forced himself back into motion, slowly approaching the window sill.

He stopped just under it, reaching up to grab a hold and pull himself onto the ledge, Lelouch pressing himself up against the shutters. He took a deep breath, peeking into the room. The first thing he noticed was the open trapdoor, which meant that Suzaku had a way to get in. Knowing the knight, he was already running up the stairs. Lelouch leaned further out, his eyes widening as he spotted his sister tied to a support beam.

Forgetting about his need for caution, Lelouch dropped through the window, landing in a crouch and looking around quickly before rushing over to her. He fell to his knees in front of her and pulled her into a hug with a relieved laugh. "Nunnally."

"L-Lelouch?"

He sat back, smiling as he checked her over for any damage before reaching around her to untie the rope. "Hold on."

"I…They were going to hang you!"

"Obviously it didn't work." The knot came undone, Lelouch quickly unwrapping the rest of the rope from around her before focusing on the knot that bound her hands together.

"I though you were dead!"

Lelouch stopped at that, straightening to kiss her forehead before going back to work. "I'm not going to just abandon you, little sister."

She slumped against him at that, the closest approximation of hugging him back that she could get. He smiled, letting her lean against him as he worked the last knot free, glancing over at the trap door. "Come on, Suzaku will probably meet us part of the way down."

He went to lift her, Nunnally reaching up for him before she stopped abruptly. "Lelouch!"

Lelouch spun around at the panic in her voice, just in time to see V.V. charging the last few steps to him before pain blossomed in his abdomen. He stared at his uncle, V.V. smiling at him before he pulled the sword from Lelouch's torso. Lelouch fell to his knees, one hand pressed against the wound, feeling blood running down his stomach.

Blearily, he stared up at V.V, his uncle giving him a shrug before picking up by the collar of his shirt. Lelouch went limp in the hold, his legs barely able to support his weight for the short moment that V.V. held him before he was thrown back into the wooden support.

Lelouch grunted as he hit the wooden beam, his vision blacking out for a moment before he slid to the ground again, reaching up with one hand to stop himself from completely falling over. He ended up on his knees again, one arm wrapped around the beam to keep himself up. Lelouch managed to keep his head upright for a moment longer before it tipped to the side, Lelouch resting it against the beam as he struggled to breathe.

Distantly, he heard Nunnally screaming, not able to make out any of the words. He forced his eyes open, staring at V.V. as the man walked closer, always keeping direct eye contact. Weakly, Lelouch stirred, gathering his legs underneath him only to nearly fall down again.

V.V. laughed at that, Lelouch putting more pressure against his wound as he struggled to stand. "You're quite resilient, Lelouch. How many times do I have to attempt to kill you before you will die?"

He didn't bother to respond, gathering himself up and slowly pulling himself up as he clung to the support beam, always keeping eye contact with V.V. Lelouch managed to get himself partially upright, shuddering against the support beam. He wouldn't be able to do much like this, but at least he could help Suzaku. He opened his mouth to speak; only to end up coughing, tasting the copper of his own blood in his mouth. Lelouch turned his head to the side, spitting out blood before locking gazes with his uncle. "Don't struggle."

V.V's eyes widened for a moment before the Geass took over, Lelouch remaining upright only long enough to see red rim his uncle's eyes before slumping against the beam, panting for breath. He felt his eyes begin to slide shut, forcing himself to keep them open. He wanted to be sure that V.V. was dead before he allowed himself to give in.

He lifted his head at the sound of footsteps, glimpsing Suzaku charging up the stairs and into the room. He met his knight's gaze for a moment before he lost the strength to stand, losing the grip on the beam and tumbling to the floor. Lelouch barely felt the impact, watching as Suzaku drew his sword and charged towards V.V. Suzaku must have shouted something because his lips moved, but Lelouch couldn't hear it, watching as Suzaku ran his sword through V.V, pushing the blade all the way through his uncle's body before backing the man over to the window. Only then did Suzaku yank the sword out, shoving V.V. out the window before dropping the sword on the ground.

Lelouch weakly smiled up at his knight, blinking as his vision blurred, surprised to suddenly find Suzaku beside him. He tried to lift himself up with the one hand that wasn't pressed to the wound, only to slump to the ground again. He felt hands on him, slowly easing him from the floor and into a sitting position, Lelouch turning his head and smiling as he saw Suzaku kneeling by his shoulder. "Suzaku…"

* * *

Suzaku cradled Lelouch against him, wrapping an arm around the prince's shoulders, finding himself unable to look away from the blood soaking through Lelouch's clothes. He looked up from the stain, finding himself meeting Nunnally's gaze for a moment before reaching for the hand that Lelouch had pressed against his wound, Nunnally having already claimed the other one.

"Lelouch?" He felt his friend stir at the sound of his sister's voice, Lelouch trying to hold his head up for a moment before it fell against Suzaku's shoulder. Lelouch seemed content to leave it there, watching Nunnally carefully as she reached up to touch his face. "You promised me…you promised not to abandon me."

"Nunnally…are you alright?"

Suzaku felt a smile cross his face at the question, ducking his head to bury his head in Lelouch's hair when he felt his throat close up. Of course Lelouch would be worried about Nunnally now. He looked up again when he heard Nunnally sniffle.

"Don't worry about me, Lelouch. You're hurt."

Lelouch managed to free his hand from Nunnally, pulling her head close to brush his lips across her forehead. "I love you, little sister."

Nunnally nodded, immediately claiming Lelouch's hand again. "And I love you too."

Lelouch smiled at that, Suzaku watching as he rolled his head back a bit, frowning as he stared up at Suzaku's face, his eyes unfocused. "Suzaku?"

"Here Lelouch."

"Where? I can't…" Suzaku brought Lelouch's hand up to his face, not caring that blood was smeared across his cheek in the process. He closed his eyes and let Lelouch explore his face weakly, reaching up to place the hand back on his cheek when it was close to falling down.

"I'm here, Lelouch."

Lelouch gave a soft sigh, tipped his head back against Suzaku, pressing as close as he could. Suzaku held his breath for a moment before letting out as Lelouch's eyes flickered open again. Lelouch whispered something too softly for Suzaku to hear, Suzaku leaning down too late to catch the words. All he got was a soft breath against his cheek before Lelouch went limp in his hold, the hand against his cheek dropping away as Lelouch's head lolled to the side.

Suzaku stared at his friend for a moment, not quite comprehending what had happened for a moment, part of him wanting to shake Lelouch and demand he get up. Then Nunnally was crying, Suzaku staring at her in disbelief before the truth managed to sink in. He ducked his head, feeling the tears start to roll down his face as Nunnally sobbed into Lelouch's shirt. He tightened his hold on Lelouch's shoulder, pressing his face into Lelouch's hair as he cried.

Faintly, he could hear Nunnally begging for Lelouch to wake up, biting his lip to keep any similar sounds from escaping. Just hours before he had been holding Lelouch in his arms and just minutes before they had talked outside of the tower and Lelouch had been alive then. He found it all too easy to believe that Lelouch was dead, his soldier's mind accepting the fact. But he longed to be like Nunnally, to be able to cry freely; he had killed too many and had seen too many people die for that. He wrapped his free arm around Lelouch's stomach, not caring that it was getting squished by Nunnally or that it was sticky with blood, clinging to his friend as he let his tears fall silently.

Suzaku stopped crying long before Nunnally, but he didn't let go of Lelouch, clinging to him as tightly as Nunnally was as they both tried to hang onto the one person that they had left. He lifted his head from Lelouch's hair, fixing it to the state that Lelouch would have like it. He sat up straight, looking down at Nunnally as she looked up.

"Suzaku…he's…"

"I know."

"But…" Suzaku swallowed and forced himself to let go of Lelouch, laying his friend out on the floor before scooting over to Nunnally and wrapping his arms around her. She latched onto him, pressing her face into his shoulder. "I just wanted…"

"I know Nunnally." He gave Lelouch's body one last look, suddenly wanting nothing more to leave. Suzaku shook his head, carefully letting go of Nunnally to move next to Lelouch's body, taking one last look at his friend and to kiss Lelouch one last time. He stood up, walking over to Nunnally to pick her up before heading down the stairs.

The walk down was silent except for Nunnally's occasional sniffles, Suzaku not minding that she was holding onto him a bit more tightly than need be, too focused on his own heartbreak. He had lost his lover, his best friend, and he would be the one who had to bury him, the one to return to what Lelouch had set up and keep going on like nothing had happened. And what hurt the most was that he had failed, he had failed Lelouch like he had failed Euphy. He had saved him only to have him die again.

He looked at Nunnally as she reached up to rest a hand on his cheek, Suzaku only then remembering the blood on his face. He tried to turn away only for Nunnally to keep her hand on his cheek. "Suzaku, are you going to leave?"

"The Black Knights…it was his dream to see the Areas…" He had to swallow, Suzaku blinking away the tears that came up at the thought. He had forgotten about the Black Knights, and what he would have to say to them, to Kallen.

Nunnally took a quick breath before looking at him. "Could we make that happen?"

"What?"

"For Lelouch. Can we do this? Can we free them?"

Suzaku stared at her for a moment, taking in her hopeful expression. This was her way of honoring her brother, Suzaku still too mired in his grief to be thinking beyond the next step. Then again, Nunnally had been hearing about deaths in her family for years. He sighed before nodding, forcing a smile on his face. "We can try."

"Then you'll help me, for Lelouch?" He wanted to agree, but he found he couldn't. Suzaku ducked his head, Nunnally reaching up to wipe the tears from his face. She didn't push him for an answer, letting him carry her outside.

Suzaku walked around the tower, coming to an abrupt stop as he saw Kallen waiting there for him with the rest of her group, watching as she stared at the blood smeared on his face before looking at Nunnally. "Suzaku?"

He opened his mouth to speak, only to have Nunnally shift in his arms, watching as she wiped the tears from her cheeks, ignoring the ones that fell later. "You are a part of the Black Knights, correct?"

Kallen nodded, dismounting and handing off the reins of her mare to one of the men, walking over to them. "Yes."

"I am Nunnally vi Britannia, Lelouch's younger sister." Kallen's eyes widened at that. "I have come to inform you that my brother is dead."

"Z-Zero?" Kallen took a step back, looking at Suzaku. He gave a slow nod, Kallen shaking her head. "No. We rescued him. And you," she pointed at Suzaku, "you were supposed to save him! What use are you?"

Suzaku recoiled, stepping back and clutching Nunnally close to him. Kallen was right, he wasn't useful at all. He was as good as a curse to those closest to him, they were all going to die and he would have to just watch. Those short years of happiness in his childhood would be all that he would get. Suzaku took a quick breath, his eyes widening as he started to shake. Lelouch would want him to protect Nunnally, but he couldn't curse her too. He wouldn't be able to stand and watch her die.

"That's enough." He jumped as Nunnally tightened her grip on his shoulder.

Nunnally wiped her eyes, trying to glare at the two of them. "If it's anyone's fault, it's mine, which is why I plan to atone for your loss. I just ask for an escort back to Pendragon." She leveled a glare at Kallen, the effect lost as she took a shuddering breath to keep herself from breaking into tears again. "I plan to continue his work either as Empress or as one of the people close to the new ruler. I will free all the Areas, and I ask that you help me."

She offered Kallen her hand, the woman staring at it before tentatively offering her own hand. Nunnally smiled, looking back at Suzaku. "And if neither of those work then I will not stop you from your old methods, but I just don't want to have anymore innocent people die."

"I think that this could work."

Nunnally nodded, glancing at the small group that Kallen had with her before taking a deep breath. "Then, if you wouldn't mind, could we head out to Pendragon now? I want to see if this can be done before we return to the Black Knights."

Kallen gave a slow nod, staring at her before looking back at Suzaku with a look of shock on her face. Suzaku just shrugged, carrying Nunnally over to one of the horses and helping her up onto it. Nunnally settled into place, reaching down for him when he turned to walk away. "Suzaku, come with us. We need you."

"I…I can't." Nunnally was wiping away his tears again, giving him a sad smile. "I'm his knight, Nunnally. I just can't leave him."

"I understand. Then, this is good-bye for now."

"Good-bye."

"And thank you Suzaku." She gave him a little wave as Kallen motioned for the group to head out, Suzaku watching them leave until he was the only one in the ravine, managing to stand up until then.

He sunk to his knees, swaying in place before falling over, clutching at the grass to keep himself from falling completely over. His balance didn't last long, Suzaku only having to turn his head to see V.V's body, broken and bleeding on the ground. He glanced up at the tower before falling on the ground, not bothering to get up and just curling around himself, one hand reaching up to tangle in his own hair as he finally was able to cry properly for his friend.

* * *

It was as much of a curse as her immortality, the knowledge of when a Geass user died.

She could feel them pass; just a gentle pressure in her mind before it disappeared, leaving her feeling empty. C.C. glanced around the forest and closed her eyes, pressing one hand to her forehead. She had been following the tracks of the horses that had passed this way, only hiding when a group of Black Knights had thundered past her. Everyone seemed to be following this same set of tracks into the depths of the forest.

Lelouch would have been proud to know how many people were chasing after him.

She shook her head, urging her horse forward at a slow trot. After all, she was far too late to prevent anything horrible from happening, she could only come to help with the damage control, if there was anything left of that. C.C. didn't bother to stifle her laughter at that thought. "Were you as precise in death as you were in life, Lelouch?"

There was no answer, and there wouldn't be. C.C. made a disgusted face. Now that Lelouch was dead, who would she find to have verbal sparring matches with? The intelligence of the people had fallen alarmingly since her age, meaning that she just got useless conversation whenever she decided to come out of her self imposed exile.

It wasn't even because she liked Lelouch; her attachment to him barely even came to that. It was just showed how good her parenting skills were that he turned out alright. C.C. smiled at that, shaking her head. Then there was the only reason she was even bothering to track him down. He owed her a promise.

She pulled her horse to a stop by the cave, staring at the vines that covered it before slipping off the animal's back, staring at the ground and following the tracks that led away from the cave. The Black Knights would have gone that way, but whether they had Nunnally or not was the question.

Annoyed at the delay, C.C. carefully tied up her horse and walked into the cave, shoving aside the vines on the other side, staring at the mess of bodies on the ground in front of her. At least Lelouch had managed to make an impression before he had died. She glanced up at the tower before picking her way through the bodies. Hopefully the stairs wouldn't be too long. Then again she could always call up for Nunnally, if the young woman could hear her.

She gave a long sigh, coming to a stop when she heard a muffled sob coming from the ground. C.C. raised an eyebrow, turning to her right as she looked over the bodies. So one had lived? It wasn't like Lelouch to leave something like that up to chance.

Her eyes widened as she recognized the mop of brown hair, walking carefully around the shaking body on the ground. It was a testament to how far gone that Suzaku was gone that he didn't bother to look up at her. C.C. walked around him again before standing in front of him, letting a sad smile cross her face. For a moment she wanted to hug him and whisper that everything was alright, but that time was long gone. There were many things long gone that she regretted, things that she was always pushing away because it was easier that way.

Because, when she did die, she wanted there to be no regrets.

C.C. glanced up at the sky, giving an annoyed sigh before squatting down and nudging Suzaku. "Hey."

He jerked away, one hand scrambling for the weapon that wasn't there as he stared at her in shock. It took a moment for him to come back to himself, Suzaku scrambling to his feet. "C.C!"

"I though I'd find you here."

"Lelouch-"

"I know." She glanced up at the tower again. "And Nunnally isn't here either."

He just nodded miserably, C.C. shrugging and standing up. She turned to walk away, surprised when Suzaku reached out to grab her arm. She turned her head to look at him, waiting for him to get over the shock of what he had just done. To her surprise, he didn't seem to care, Suzaku taking a step forward. "You have to help. You know magic."

"But I can't do the impossible."

"If Lelouch could why can't you?" Suzaku let go of her at that, running his hands through his hair and pacing around before looking back at her. "Please, this is the one thing I can think of."

C.C. stared at him for a moment before turning around. "Do you know what you're asking for?"

"Yes."

"Really?" C.C. took a step forward, not surprised when Suzaku gave ground. "I might not be able to help, or you might condemn him to an eternal life like mine." Suzaku sucked a deep breath at that, C.C. tipping her head to the side. "He might be unable to use his Geass again or he might not know who you are. Could you deal with the consequences?"

Suzaku gave a firm nod, C.C. surprised at the conviction in that move. She gave him a fond smile, thinking back over the years to her training. There was one thing that would work, but it would leave Lelouch without his Geass and a head full of memories that wouldn't exactly be his, the collective memories of her clan, memories of magic that could never be used again. But it would bring him back and would work in her favor.

"Fine then, take me to him."

* * *

Suzaku stood by Lelouch's body as C.C. looked over him, the witch crouching down to pull away the fabric from the wound before sitting down on the floor. She stared at Lelouch for a long moment, Suzaku sure that he saw tears forming before she blinked them away, C.C. returning to the witch that he had known for years. He bit his lip, looking around the circular room before focusing on her again. "Well?"

"It can be done."

"Even with the wound?"

C.C. raised an eyebrow before pulling her knees up to her chest. "What you ask of me is complicated, but doable-"

"Then do it."

"-but impossible." Suzaku jerked backwards, staring at her in horror. Was this her way of punishing him because he hadn't been able to take care of Lelouch? She continued to stare blandly at him, drawing the silence out for a while longer before finally speaking again. "You are not the one that I made the contract with."

He stared at her, glancing between her and Lelouch. Of course she would try and draw the contract into this. Still, if he got what he wanted, then he wouldn't complain.

Suzaku glanced around the room before striding over to where his sword rested on the floor, picking it up carefully. "But it said nothing about this."

He walked back to Lelouch's body, lifting one of the limp hands from the floor and wrapping the fingers around the hilt of the sword. C.C. smiled as Suzaku adjusted his grip around the fingers. "See, technically it is still him."

"Indeed." She stared at him, giving him that fond smile again. Suzaku flinched at that, not sure how to take that expression. He had seen it plenty of times when he had been living with the witch, but it was strange after so many years of cold and empty glances. "But to grant a life, you need to take a life."

"I would-"

"You can't. He wanted you to live and I hope you know why." C.C. gave him a long look, Suzaku not sure how to interpret the look. She shrugged the next moment, kneeling down next to Lelouch's body and staring at him. "But this will work fine. Just make sure you don't let him get bored."

"I won't."

C.C. nodded before gesturing to herself. Suzaku took a deep breath before driving the sword through C.C's stomach, keeping in his hand tight around Lelouch's and his eyes shut. He heard C.C's gasp of pain before she gave a little chuckle. Suzaku opened his eyes went he felt her go limp, pulling his sword free of C.C. and standing up, letting Lelouch's hand drop back to the ground.

He stared at his friend for a long moment, shaking his head when he realized that nothing was happening. Suzaku cursed and turned away, cleaning off his blade. He should have known that the witch would go back on her word just to finish off her contract. Suzaku stared at his reflection in the metal before walking over to where he had dropped his scabbard, shoving the sword back in with more force than he needed.

And to think that a mere three days ago he had been thinking about leaving Lelouch.

The sword slid from his hands and clattered to the ground, Suzaku leaning heavily against the nearest wall and giving a shuddering sigh. What kind of knight was he if he couldn't keep anyone he cared about alive? He took a deep breath and turned to look at the trapdoor. He should go to find Nunnally, but he couldn't be sure that she would survive with him around. He was as good as a curse. Suzaku groaned and slid down the wall until he was sitting on the wall, pressing his forehead against his knees.

"-zaku?" He jerked upright at the soft whisper of his name, staring at Lelouch's body, his gaze dropping to the hand that was twitching on the ground.

Suzaku scrambled to his feet, rushing over to where Lelouch was and grabbing that hand that had moved and holding it. "Lelouch?"

Lelouch's head rolled in the direction of his voice, Suzaku smiling as Lelouch struggled to open his eyes. He gave Lelouch's hand a squeeze, that seeming to settle him. Suzaku sighed and pressed a kiss to Lelouch's knuckles. "I'm here, my prince."


	13. Epilogue: Coming Home

** Epilogue: Coming Home **

Nunnally sat tall on Kallen's mare as they rode into the castle courtyard at Pendragon, smiling as she saw Schneizel and Cornelia standing at the front doors. She knew it looked strange being escorted by Black Knights, she herself clothed in a spare Black Knights uniform. She took a deep breath, watching as the rest of the group hung back only Kallen riding forward.

The woman got off the roan mare, leading the horse the last few steps up to the doors of the castle, Nunnally remaining on the horse. It was important that she made a good first impression, if they knew that she was crippled right away then they would have tried to use her from the first moment. Nunnally cleared her throat, keeping her smile as she gazed down at her brother and sister.

It was Cornelia that started forward first, Nunnally's heart beating fast when her half-sister reached for the sword that hung by her side. "Why did they allow the Black Knights into the courtyard?"

"They are here at my request." Nunnally took a deep breath, trying to keep her composure. She hadn't traveled weeks to just fail here. This was for Lelouch. She closed her eyes for a moment, picturing her brother's smile before continuing on. "I needed an escort and they offered to return me back home. I was hoping that someone would recognize me here."

Surprisingly it was Cornelia who stared at her for a long moment before walking over to the horse, ignoring Kallen for the time being. "Nunnally?"

She nodded, smiling. "I am Nunnally vi Britannia. And I have returned."

"Just in time too." Schneizel walked up on her other side, offering her a little bow. "Father passed on three days ago and Odysseus has abdicated. Reluctantly, I am the new Emperor of Britannia." The way Schneizel smiled when he said it made Nunnally doubt his statement.

She kept her smile on, continuing on her act. She allowed Schneizel to lift her from her horse, stopping him before he set her on the ground. "I'm sorry to bother you, brother, but my kidnappers injured me to stop me from running."

Nunnally carefully kept her eyes on the ground, feeling Schneizel tense for a moment. Then he was striding into the castle, shouting for a servant to bring her a chair. She tapped his shoulder shyly after that command, turning to look out at the Black Knights. "They have to be treated like guests. They have risked much to bring me back."

Schneizel turned to look at Cornelia who gave an annoyed nod before turning to storm into the castle, Nunnally looking worriedly at her. She wanted to be sure that she had the goodwill of both her siblings that would be remaining here, it was the only way that she could accomplish Lelouch's dream.

She was started out of her thoughts as Schneizel spoke. "You must be exhausted from your travels. It would probably be best if you rested until dinner."

"Wait!" She blushed at her outburst, seeing Cornelia pausing ahead of them. Nunnally looked down at her hands as she spoke. "I want to talk to you two first, about something concerning the future of Britannia."

"Nunnally, I don't think that this-"

"It has to be now, so I know how to act in the future." She looked up at the two of them, smiling as Schneizel changed directions and brought her into the great hall, letting her down onto one of the chairs before taking the one on her right. Cornelia followed suit on the left, Nunnally looking at the both of them as she folded her hands.

"I was treated by my kidnappers as nothing more than a political tool, and I don't ever intend to become that again." She treated them each to an earnest look that had them shifting in their seats. At least she had gotten that out of the way. Nunnally took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment before continuing on. "My escape took a lot of effort and the death of someone close to me, and I want to continue their dream. He dreamed of freeing all of the Areas from Britannia's rule."

"Nunnally." Schneizel sighed. "I don't think you understand the political implications of the move."

"I realize that, but I do realize that you are creating unnecessary enemies by taking them over when a simple treaty would accomplish the same goal." Nunnally swallowed harshly, looking up at Schneizel and Cornelia. "It might not guarantee peace, but it will keep us from stretching resources. And…if I can't get you to agree to what I have just said, then I'll have no choice but to leave and help the Black Knights with their cause, but I wanted to keep the deaths to a minimum."

Schneizel stared at her for a while before shrugging. "It will take me a while to think things over, but your ideas have merit." He smiled at her, Nunnally surprised at how genuine it was. "And it would be horrible to lose someone with such potential to become an ambassador."

"Thank you."

He nodded at her before looking at Cornelia. "Would you take her somewhere to rest for a little while before dinner? I'll take the time to consider her request."

Cornelia stood up and bowed before picking up Nunnally, remaining silent until they were out of the great hall. "Who convinced you?"

"No one. I decided by myself." Nunnally stared at the tapestries that covered the walls. "I decided that it would be the best for everyone, and that the Emperor would be proud to earn the title of peacemaker. History tends to be kinder to those people."

Cornelia just hummed to herself, turning into a smaller room with two chairs and a fire already burning in the fireplace. She set Nunnally down on one of the chairs before sitting down on the small carpet that was a short distance away from the fireplace, tipping her head back to study her. "You look so much like your mother and brother."

Nunnally tensed at that, quickly looking away. She heard Cornelia move, not turning her head to look at her half sister as she spoke. "Lelouch is dead." There was a soft gasp from Cornelia, Nunnally pressing the side of her face into the chair. "He was helping me escape and… So I promised him that I would do this, because it was what he wanted. Even if that makes you my enemy, it has to happen."

Silence fell between them, Nunnally staring at the wall, waiting to turn to the front until one of the servants walked in and announced that dinner was served. Nunnally allowed herself to be carried back, surprised to see that the Black Knights were arranged around one of the tables. She stared at them, expecting to be taken to sit with them, surprised when she was carried to the seat right next to Schneizel. She watched her half brother carefully as he ate, barely picking at her food as the waited for the verdict.

About halfway through the meal, she heard him sigh, looked up at him. Schneizel rubbed his forehead before looking at her, taking a deep breath. "The first order of business would be to get you some way to be mobile; it hurts your image if you have to be carried around everywhere. Then we'll allow you to go out and talk to the Areas. If an agreement can be reached, then I will consider restoring their sovereignty. We'll run a trial with two Areas before moving on to the others."

"But…I was willing to…"

"I find it better to react to things before they will become a problem and you merely pointed out one of the most prominent ones that have plagued the ruling family since we started to conquer them." Schneizel spent some time examining the food on his plate before shaking his head. "And I find that making you an enemy would be a horrible mistake, even without the backing of the Black Knights. So, what is you answer, Ambassador Nunnally?"

She smiled broadly, nodding her head. The cheers from the Black Knights sounded like they were coming from far away, Nunnally laughing as she looked over at Cornelia. It was all going according to plan, just like Lelouch would have wanted it. She could convince the Areas to work with Britannia instead of against it, and then her brother wouldn't have had to have died in vain.

* * *

He snuck back into their camp, pulling the mask from the lower half of his face and taking a deep breath, one hand going to rest on his stomach with a wince. He had pushed himself too far with that, but he had needed to see that she had gotten to Pendragon safely. And with Kallen and the others of the Elite Guard around her, she would be fine.

He smiled to himself, the expression freezing when he saw someone sitting by their fire. "And where were you?"

"Uh…"

"You went out to see her didn't you?" Suzaku turned around, glaring at him. "Lelouch…"

"Don't lecture me." Lelouch pulled the cloak off, wincing at the pull on his sore muscles before he tossed the cloth down on the ground, sitting on it and staring into the fire. "I knew what I was doing."

"The wound is barely healed."

"Nothing happened."

"Lelouch, if something happens again, I can't bring you back." He looked up at Suzaku, the knight doing a horrible job of disguising his worry.

He gave Suzaku a soft smile, reaching out to rest a hand on Suzaku's arm. "She's my sister; I have to make sure that she's alright."

"Nunnally can take of herself."

"That doesn't stop me from worrying."

Suzaku shrugged. "I guess not. But don't sneak out again."

Lelouch just grinned at him, shifting closer so he could lean against Suzaku. The knight glared at him before giving him a light shove, that enough to push Lelouch away for a moment before the prince was back to leaning on him. "I can't promise you that."

"Of course not." Suzaku sighed and leaned forward to poke at the fire, Lelouch watching the embers drift up into the air. "Where to next?"

"We'll just follow Nunnally. This trial period of Schneizel's seems interesting enough to be keeping an eye on."

"Will you ever tell her about you?"

Lelouch looked away, feeling Suzaku wrap an arm around his shoulder. For a moment, he was tempted to push the arm off, but he allowed it to remain. He lowered his eyes, whispering in a low voice, "I don't know."

"You should." When Lelouch kept silent, Suzaku pulled him partially into his lap, Lelouch struggling to get out of the knight's grip before giving up. "She forgave you."

Lelouch hummed to show he was still listening, tensing when Suzaku ducked his head to nuzzle his neck. Lelouch gulped, scrambling to move out of Suzaku's lap only to be pulled back, moaning at the lick that was given to the side of his neck.

"Suzaku…"

"We'll talk about this later."

"We'll talk about this now."

Lelouch turned his head to stare at Suzaku, watching the knight stare at him for a moment before shrugging, depositing him on the cloak before straddling him. "We could."

He stared up at Suzaku before pressing his head back against the cloak, smiling fondly. "You horny idiot."

* * *

Suzaku kept a hand on Lelouch's shoulder as they were escorted through the camp, nodding at the few Black Knight members that he recognized. The rest of Nunnally's escort was made up of royal guards, all of the men looking nervous at being in the company of the rebel band. Most of the stares went right past on him and to Lelouch, the Black Knights probably having heard of his death from Nunnally. Suzaku's hand tightened on Lelouch's shoulder at that thought.

The guard that had been escorting them through the camp stopped at a tent that had been sent up, peeking his head in before bowing to them. "In here, my lords."

Lelouch nodded, glancing back at Suzaku before slipping into the tent, removing the knight's hand from his shoulder and holding it in his own. Suzaku smiled at that, coming up short as Lelouch came to a quick stop, staring into the small tent.

Nunnally had her back to them, sitting in a chair and bent over something on her lap. She looked up at the sound of them entering, carefully turning the chair around on its wheels with a smile on her face. Nunnally took one look at them and gasped, Suzaku tensing as he looked like she was ready to call the guards.

In that moment, Lelouch slipped away from him, hurrying over to kneel at his sister's side, reaching for her hand. "Nunnally, it's alright."

"No…no…"

"Nunnally, it's me."

"You can't be here." Nunnally looked at Suzaku. "What kind of trick is this?"

"It's no trick." Suzaku didn't get a chance to answer for himself, Lelouch smiling at his sister. "I promised that I wouldn't abandon you, Nunnally, that I would protect you. And I don't break my promises to you."

She trembled in place, staring at him before she let out a sob, Lelouch scrambling up to hug her. Suzaku glanced behind him before inching forward, standing further away from the flaps of the tent. He turned partially away, letting Lelouch and Nunnally have their privacy while still acting as the guard.

"H-how? I saw you die. I held your hand."

"I made a deal with a witch, Nunnally, she did this." Lelouch laughed at that, probably showing Nunnally his left eye. "See, no Geass. I gave that up to come back."

"That isn't possible…"

"It is. I'm still trying to figure out how, but it worked." Suzaku smirked at that, remembering the many late nights that Lelouch had struggled to sort through the memories of magic that he had gotten since he had come back. Most of the things that Lelouch had explained to him hadn't been seen in years but Lelouch couldn't do. The Geass was the only form of magic left in the world, or so said Lelouch. Suzaku figured that he could trust Lelouch on that, considering how many times he found Lelouch brushing over his left eye and looking wistful.

"H-how long do you have?"

"A long while. And I've got Suzaku to keep me from doing something stupid." Suzaku was surprised when Lelouch grabbed his hand and pulled him over, blushing when Lelouch didn't let go of his hand. Nunnally beamed up at him, Lelouch's other hand cradled gently in her own. "And, of course, you. If you decide that you want your big brother on this trip."

"Of course!" Lelouch was pulled into a hug, Suzaku nearly tugged over before Lelouch let go of his hand. He smiled as Leouch returned the hug, pulling away a moment later. "I could use your advice."

"You seem to be doing a good job on your own."

Nunnally blushed at that, looking serious a moment later. "And the Black Knights, I need you to disband them for now." Lelouch gave a hesitant nod, Nunnally laughing. "Not forever. I'm working on getting Schneizel to agree to reinstate them as a section of the military or a kind of standing army for the Areas once they are free."

Suzaku had to laugh at the look of amazement on Lelouch's face, placing his hand on Lelouch's shoulder again. "She's outdone you."

He got a glare for that, Nunnally giggling. Lelouch looked at Nunnally before sighing and standing up. "You've turned my own sister against me."

Suzaku shook his head. "Never, my lord."

That got him another glare before Lelouch sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Spare me from plotting sisters and idiot knights."

"You don't mean that Lelouch."

"No." Nunnally smiled at Suzaku. "He loves us."

"Indeed." Lelouch cleared his throat before bending over to kiss Nunnally. "We'll leave you to your work, Ambassador and to find a spot in the camp."

Nunnally nodded and made a shooing motion, Suzaku falling back into position behind Lelouch as they ducked out of the tent, not surprised when Lelouch stopped to take a deep breath before walking on. He waited patiently, watching as the tension in his shoulders disappeared. Lelouch turned his head slightly to look at him out of the corner of his eye. "You were right, Suzaku."

"It happens."

"Not often."

"Of course not, my lord." He smirked when Lelouch glared at him, trying his best not to break out into laughter. Lelouch eventually just shrugged and turned to focus on weaving his way through the camp, heading back to where they tied their horses.

"Are you staying with me?"

"I am your knight."

"That's not what I was asking."

Suzaku blinked before blushing. "For as long as you will have me."

"That's horribly romantic, Suzaku."

"It's true."

"But horribly romantic and embarrassing. Still, if that's the only answer I'm going to get out of you, I might as well accept it." Suzaku nodded when Lelouch looked back at him, the prince pretending not to notice that Suzaku had stepped up to walk beside him or that Suzaku's hand brushed against his as they walked.

END


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